


Green-Eyes Killer

by Isabelle_Jennings



Category: Batman (Comics), Birds of Prey (Comic), DCU, DCU (Comics), Gotham City Sirens (Comics), Martian Manhunter (Comics), Nightwing (Comics), Superman (Comics), Teen Titans (Comics), Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-01
Updated: 2014-04-12
Packaged: 2018-01-07 02:11:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 18
Words: 98,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1114291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Isabelle_Jennings/pseuds/Isabelle_Jennings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ivy seduced wealthy socialite Silver St. Cloud with a kiss. She did it to gain access to the world of the moneyed and powerful, in order to strike back at the enemies of the green and save the world from ruin at the hands of greedy humans. Now she's fallen in love and wants to set Silver free, to find out if their love is real, even if doing so might endanger her plans.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Am I Cruel?

**Author's Note:**

> **Learn more:** If you're interested, you can check out the [STORY INDEX](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1114291/chapters/3062716%22) at the end of the book for a cast list and more info on the story (it's at the end of the last chapter, about two-thirds of the way down the page).
> 
>  **Themes of serial killing, eco-terrorism, etc...:** (And I'm saying the on the outside chance that anyone might actually take it this way, even though I seriously doubt anyone would. I also don't want you to think I'm nuts or something.) Ivy does this stuff in this story. She does it for a very good cause and with the best intentions. She believes firmly that the ends justify the means, that she knows best, and that she's doing the right thing. Does she make a very good point about the world as we know it being in serious trouble from all the damage humanity has done to the environment? Obviously. Am I in any way whatsoever suggesting or advocating that anyone reading this story follow her example? No. Just **NO**. No way, no how, don't even think about it, it would be such a bad idea I can't even stress that point enough. Want to help save the environment? Great! Go out and get involved, get informed, bring people together, be passionate, be creative, use your head, and don't give up. Just, you know, be reasonable--no killing people or anything.
> 
>  **Rape/Non-Con Warning:** This refers to Ivy's kiss. In the story, it makes the recipient look at the world more like a plant would, and it mostly means they'd do whatever Ivy wants them to. It's definitely non-consensual. As to weather it's rape or not, I'll let you be the judge. The issue is fairly thoroughly addressed as the story goes on, but I wouldn't say it's ever really lacking in ambiguity.

SAVE THE GREEN:

BOOK 1: GREEN EYES KILLER

PART 1: AM I CRUEL?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gotham-Metropolis: The biggest city ever built in the history of the world. It used to be two cities, but they grew together into one great mass. Technology had run rampant in the world, and though the city had a number of "greening" initiatives running, and though there were a good number of neighborhood parks (in varying states of upkeep), including two central parks, you could never say the city was anything approaching lush with green, growing things.

And so it was that in the downtown business sector, in the uptown mansions, in penthouses and high-society galas, there have been a number of suspicious deaths. All of the victims? Corporate movers and shakers engaged in profiting off, at the least, questionable uses of natural resources or other such practices. Toxins were involved in all of the deaths. Of a kind that has never been seen before. Untraceable and always lethal. Bruce Wayne had been one of the targets, and the Batman hasn't been seen since.

The news media have dubbed the perpetrator of the serial murders as "The Green Eyes Killer", because the eyes of all of the victims have been turned a deep forest green.

\--- SILVER ---

"I got your message." Silver St. Cloud said into the moonlit night. "Why..." Her voice trailed off.

A shadow moved and a man's form took shape before her. "I've been following a trail." Nightwing spoke.

"Of course you have..." She replied, a little on edge. It was the backyard gardens of her mansion home, and she knew the man she was meeting would not harm her. Probably knew at least, but all wasn't as it seemed and Silver knew it. "And it led you to me, I suppose."

"People have been dying, Silver. You know it." He told her.

"If you're worried about me, I don't fit the pattern. Not anymore, at least." Silver assured him.

"I know. Funny thing is though, your company went green a month before the first reported 'green-eyes' killing." He said it casually, but too much so. Enough that Silver could see right through it easily. He knew something was wrong, he suspected she was involved somehow, he just couldn't prove it. So she decided to take a risk.

Silver sighed. "So what, Derick? You think I'm involved, is that it? That I go around arranging murders? For what? Kicks?"

Nightwing took a step back. "You..."

"I know who you are, idiot." Silver told him. "You might have had a few when we slept together last year, but I was sober. And even if we hadn't, you're only wearing a mask over your eyes. Not like Bruce..."

"You knew...." 

"No I didn't know. I only figured it out last month after I saw you in this... getup, up close. From there, it was a pretty straight line. Especially when you consider the timing of his death and the Batman's recent absence in the city... I'm sorry for your loss, by the way." She told him.

"Silver..."

"No. You know what? Unless you have something other than accusations to offer, just leave, alright?" She met his eyes defiantly.

Derick Grayson met her gaze and then looked away, turning to go. He paused. "If you had anything to do with his death..."

"I didn't." She said.

He didn't say anything else as he faded into the shadows.

Silver shivered a little, even though it was a warm night, then she too turned to go, back to her house.

She walked into her bedroom. The lights were low, and it smelled thickly of flowers and green things and of her lover. She smiled. Her heart beat faster in her chest. The woman in her bed got up and met her as she walked to her. "Ivy..." Silver spoke her lover's name, running her hands over the other woman's naked skin, so warm, welcoming, and silky soft. She looked so good, smelled so... and her eyes, when they were on her like they were now... She shivered a little. Her mind was lost in complete lust. Her shirt dropped from her as Ivy began to kiss her neck hungrily. She heard Ivy growl a little and it made her shiver again in desire. Her nipples were hard and sensitive, her center was getting wet and yearned to be touched, her skin felt like energy and fire were running underneath. Ivy roughly turned her about and threw her to the bed of leaves and vines and growing things and then she was on top of her, kissing her, taking the rest of her clothes off. "What did he want?" Ivy asked her huskily.

"He suspects me... He doesn't have proof, but he won't stop." She told. She'd lied to Derick before of course. She'd had a lot to do with the recent deaths. And part of her still told her that what she was doing was wrong, but it just didn't matter to her anymore. She knew part of it was chemical, she didn't want to think of how much a part, but the end result was that she'd do anything for Ivy, absolutely anything, even... even kill herself. It was scary and thrilling. But the rub of it all was really that Ivy was so... she was intense, always intense, but she was gentle and loving too... such a beautiful lover. When Ivy's eyes were on her, she knew she was Ivy's whole world and that made her feel so much more than chemicals. And they could talk too, Ivy told her things, great, terrible things she wanted to do, she didn't hold back. And she listened too, Ivy listened to her like no one had ever listened to her, like she mattered so much, like she was smart, even brilliant and... like she really saw her, the secret her no one else saw. Silver wanted to be that for Ivy too, but she... Ivy was... Ivy...

Ivy growled. "Men. Such vicious, cruel creatures."

"You're vicious." Silver told her softly. "In a good way." She smiled.

Ivy smiled back, running a hand through her hair. "You say the sweetest things. But am I cruel?"

Silver shook her head 'no'. "You're beautiful... amazing..." She ran her fingers down Ivy's face. "I love you... in my soul, I love you..." She told, looking into Ivy's eyes.

Ivy's smile faltered a little. "I wonder if I might not be a little cruel, after all..." She spoke, emotion in her voice as she brushed a hand through Silver's hair attentively.

"...You won't leave me, will you?" Silver asked, her heart beating faster.

Ivy sighed and started kissing her neck. "It would be a shame if I had to, wouldn't it?" She confessed softly. "I think, by now, it would probably hurt both of us in... very harsh ways, wouldn't it? ...I've grown very so attached to you, even entwined perhaps..."

As she said that, her fingers slid down and into the soft folds between Silver's legs and Silver lost the ability to form coherent words. As Ivy's mouth claimed her lips and she felt Ivy's wetness spread over her thigh as she was being carried off towards immanent, blissful orgasm, one thought did form, crystal clear, in her mind: Derick Grayson had to die, it was the only way she could be sure Ivy wouldn't leave her. She'd helped Ivy kill so many already, one more wouldn't make a difference. It was for a truly good cause, after all...

\--- IVY ---

Ivy woke at the first rays of morning light coming in from the one-way glass windows and sun-roof. The light felt so good, and so did the warm body she was snuggled up close to. She ran her hands over Silver's skin and took in her scent. It was a nice scent, and filled her with a sense of well being. She'd changed her inside some, made a part of her lover a green, growing thing, like she was herself. Not as much, and not so it would be outwardly noticeable except by scent, but enough to make her somewhat stronger, faster, more... compatible with her.

She took a moment to remember her first meeting with Silver St. Cloud last year. Ivy had disguised herself as a party guest and befriended her, and, before too long, bedded her. It had been easy. A key part of her plan. Silver knew all of Gotham-Metro's movers and shakers, or at least was aquatinted with them. She was young, pretty, sadly thought being responsible meant signing a check to a few humanitarian causes or funding the arts. Ivy had quickly given her other ideas, and Silver had, surprisingly to her, taken to those ideas with... such an attractive... fervor. And her plan was working well too, she'd crippled a lot of companies that were deadly to the world's ecology, even been able to place her people and the top of some. Including, of course, all of Silver's family holdings. And more, Silver was buying or taking over some of the more dreadful corporations and either shutting them down or re-purposing them.

Ideally, she would ride Silver, figuratively and in bed with the other woman's talented fingers inside her, all the way to her ultimate goal: Saving the planet and pruning back the harmful elements in humanity that threatened the green. Bringing about a world where the life of a plant mattered as much as the life of a person. And killing one with malice was a crime, preferably one with a death sentence.

She looked and her lover and sighed. "Do you really love me, in your soul?" She asked softly. Of course, Silver was still asleep, and didn't answer.

That was a frustrating thing for her, she couldn't really tell if Silver's feelings for her were real or not. She acted like they were, the way she, well, Ivy could tell Silver wasn't holding herself back at all, but... The only way to know for sure would be to make her immune to her 'charms', and that would be a risk. That, and she wasn't sure she really wanted to know the answer. She enjoyed having her too much. No one, not even Hailey or Lina (the other women that had come and gone in her life that she'd really fallen in love with), had made her feel quite this way before. Had made her feel quite this... intensely.

She contemplated waking Silver up for more love making, wanted to, but decided instead to check the morning news. The 'Green-Eyes Killer' (she loved that name) had stirred things up. In recent years, eco-activism had become a major world issue. Not enough to make the level of real-world headway that needed to happen though, especially not in the United States. As a rule, people who wanted to do the right things weren't willing to go as far as it takes to achieve their goals, while people who wanted to do the wrong things... were. So it was of interest to her to see what reactions her activities were getting. Many environmentalist groups were denouncing the killer, saying he or she (the media didn't know anything about her, even her gender) was doing more harm than good because she was giving the green movement a bad name. But a few were on her side. And street-level, graffiti tags like 'Green-Eyes is watching' or any of a number of others were showing up more and more, and that made her smile.

Carefully, she untangled herself from her lover and got out of bed, going over to smell some of the plants she kept in their room. Mentally checking each of them to make sure they were well fed and happy, and saying good morning to them, before going into the rec-room and sitting on the couch, her legs tucked under her. She wished she could re-do the whole house with more plants than she had, which were many, but she didn't want to alarm any guests to the home. Appearances and all. She had their bedroom and the greenhouse, and all the plants of the property as well, and that would have to be enough for now.

She turned on the huge flat-screen TV to the news, which was showing the weather, and smiled as Raul, one of the servants, a big, muscularly built, handsome Guatemalan gay man, who was completely under her thrall, came and offered her water and fruit for breakfast. She took it and waved him away, telling him to go frolic with Gustav, the chauffeur, for a while, smiling a little to herself at how adorable the two were together. She really did prefer lesbians and gays greatly over heterosexuals as far as people went. They had so much more real... emotional intelligence to them, in her opinion. She smiled to herself thinking that the LGBT community would probably say she was giving them a bad name too if she spread that opinion around. WHich might actually be true, she supposed, unlike what the environmentalist groups who denounced her said. What so many such so-called people of conscience didn't understand was that, in order to be effective, one needed to... look at the big picture. When you kill a killer, you usually save more lives than you take, after all. A particularly ironic thing for her to think, she acknowledged (people -were- calling her a serial killer after all).

As she watched, the a news bulletin suddenly interrupted the stock report and Ivy's attention was firmly caught. Breaking news, from uptown Gotham-Metro. It was her again... The Harlequin.

"Hailey..." Ivy whispered. Her ex-girlfriend.

As she watched, Ivy couldn't help but feel intensely wistful. They'd been so very good together. For a while at least. It made her feel better that Hailey was at least carrying on their work, if in her own... unique, fashion. 

Taking out the downtown stock exchange? She had to smile at that. She just hoped Hailey wouldn't get caught. She'd have to get caught, sooner or later, being so completely over-the-top blatant about it. She wanted the attention, Ivy knew. To live fast and burn bright, she would have said. They'd talked on the phone last week. She was doing well apparently. She had a steady girlfriend named Selena. Selena was a notorious world-class thief who dressed up like a black cat. The press had dubbed her Catwoman. Ivy had actually hired her a few times, and had liked her. Enough that she only wanted her to slip and fall off a building and die a little bit sometimes (Hailey had been the one to dump -her-, not the other way around, and she wasn't deluded enough to think she was over her completely yet).

That is to say, she still had feelings for Hailey, as mixed up and confused as they were. And she often wished things had turned out differently. Less so after meeting Silver though. Now, she mainly just watched in fascination as the news story played out.

In the end, she was delighted to be caught in helpless laughter. Huntress, Superman, and Zatanna had tried to stop her, but now mostly looked comically frustrated, embarrassed, and guilty, respectively, on live TV. It wasn't really funny though, or it was, but the implications weren't. A thousand people had Hailey's face now. And more than a hundred bankers were dead at her hands. There would be a federal manhunt, the Justice League's attention would fall on Hailey like a hammer... it could all end... very, very badly for her.

"What's funny?" Silver asked, walking into the room with nothing but a silk robe on that showed a lot of her legs and cleavage.

"Come see." Ivy invited softly.

"You have such a beautiful laugh." Silver smiled as she snuggled in beside her lover on the couch.

Ivy smiled a little at that, and her heart even felt like it fluttered a bit at the complement.

She hadn't told Silver about her past with Hailey though, and felt a little guilty about it.

They watched for a little while until the news switched to something else, then Ivy claimed Silver's lips and laid her back on the couch, getting on top of her. "I want you." She whispered.

"I'm yours." Silver smiled up at her, pure devotion and, Ivy hoped, real love shining in those eyes. "All of me is yours..." Silver whispered.

Ivy kissed her again and lowered her body down, pressing herself against her. She undid the robe and felt her chest press against Silver's pert nipples, she ground her own nipples into them and pressed her thigh in between her lover's legs, into her center. She heard Silver moan her pleasure and she hummed in delight at that, and then brought her hand down to run over her lover's wet, ready, and inviting sex. She dipped her fingers inside and felt Silver respond, body arching just so, breath quickening, a soft moan, arms holding her just that much more tightly. Ivy closed her eyes and started to kiss the skin of Silver's neck. She loved this, loved this so much. Sometimes she thought she could just do this all day and be happy. Her conscience wouldn't let her of course, but she wished the world were better and she could just be a woman in love... She didn't really know when it had happened, when exactly she'd fallen so in love with the woman beneath her, but she had. She cherished her so much. She started kissing and caressing her again, putting her whole attention and being into it. She took her time, made every touch mean something. Silver's fingers had found their way inside her too, and finally with a touch to her clit, she fell into a drowning orgasm and felt Silver fall with her, under her.

They lay there breathing, holding each other. "Again." Silver breathed her wish. "Please again." She sighed.

Ivy smiled. "You on top this time." She set her condition.

"Oh, Fuck yes." Silver breathed, rolling Ivy over and staring down into her eyes hungrily. "It's insane how much I want you... Sometimes... I feel like I'd die, literally just die, if I couldn't touch you..." She kissed Ivy softly and let her body mold itself to Ivy's as she relaxed down on top of her.

Ivy sighed. "When you talk like that..." She breathed. She was still feeling blissful and blessedly orgasmic.

"What?" Silver asked.

"If I offered to set you free, let you completely... make your own choices I suppose... would you want me to do that for you?" Ivy asked.

"Never. I don't... unless you want..." She appeared conflicted. "I'll do whatever you want. I just..."

"Just what?" Ivy asked softly.

"Don't want to ever lose... this..." She ran her hand through Ivy's hair. "Freedom is nothing compared to belonging to you... nothing at all..." Silver pledged to her.

Ivy smiled softly and took Silver's hand in hers. "I didn't think, it's just, I hadn't thought it would be this way between us... that I would... fall in love... So, sometimes I want to know, to be really certain... if it's real... If you really love me, return my feelings, or if it's..."

"Oh, Ivy... It's real, I know it is!" Silver told and roughly captured Ivy's lips in a demanding kiss. "If you don't believe me, if you want me to stop, send me away, kill me... I wouldn't want to live..." She kissed her again and again, pressed herself into Ivy and Ivy felt her own fingernails digging into Silver's back. This was really turning her on. She felt hot, so hot. If only they could do this outside, in the sun... she moaned.

"Don't stop." She gasped. "Don't stop, fuck me.... just don't stop..." Ivy said just as Silver's eyes met hers and as she said the words, Ivy could see the sense of triumph in those eyes, of sheer wonton possessiveness, of obsession, need... she gasped.

"Oh, Ivy..." Silver nuzzled her neck and bit her, then licked her, thrusting her fingers into Ivy's sex.

Ivy arched into the penetration and cried out in pleasure. "Yes lover... Fuck me... take me..." She gasped.

Ivy felt Silver's wetness on her thigh as her lover kissed and nipped at her skin and pressed herself down on her, thrusting her fingers into her at just the right angle to drive her crazy with pleasure. She felt herself just let go and let the fire Silver had stoked inside her burn through her and combust.

Her next truly coherent thought was realizing her nipple was being sucked, the other one pinched and kneeled. It felt so good, she brought her hands to Silver's head and sighed in happiness. Part of her wondered how wrong it was, but it didn't feel wrong at all. And she wanted it so much. Wanted to feel all the things Silver was making her feel: Desired, loved, sexy, beautiful, wanted, even dominated, just taken over sometimes. "Yes, please, yes..." Ivy moaned.

Ivy felt her lover smile against her flesh before sucking on her hard, making Ivy cry out. Silver's remaining hand had been stroking her inner thighs and now it went to her sex and teased inside. Stroking and working the way inside. Silver then proceeded to steadily drive Ivy to a fever pitch, giving her two glorious orgasms in a row. Leaving her breathing hard and shaking with heat and a deep satisfaction. She could hardly think anything but "Wow."

Silver got this thrilled look in her eyes at that and started kissing her passionately. "It is real." She whispered. "So real." She said, kissing her hard again, showing her need.

Ivy cupped her lover's face and moaned. "What you do to me..." Ivy sighed as Silver started kissing her neck. She laughed, lightly, just a little.

"What do I do to you, Ivy?" Silver asked.

"Mmnnm..." Ivy bit her lip. "Whatever you want..." She told.

Silver hummed at that. "You won't leave me, I know you won't..." She whispered, making Ivy shiver at the raw vulnerability in those words.

"...You're right... I won't..." Ivy admitted out loud what she knew secretly was becoming more true by the day. She just hoped that Silver actually felt the same.

"...So beautiful, you're so... amazing..." Silver's words vibrated through Ivy as her lover kissed her collar bone, her chest, and Silver's hands were all over, seemed to be everywhere at once. Ivy's hands were on Silver's back as Silver moved down further, letting Ivy know just where she was heading. The knowledge sent a thrill of excitement and warmth through her, and as Silver's tongue finally made contact with her clit, Ivy opened her eyes but hardly noticed what her eyes saw, everything in her was trying to take in the sensations rushing through her faster than she could at all control. 

Silver's tongue entered her and she was gone - once, twice, three times gone. She knew Silver was using one of her own hands to pleasure herself as well, she could smell it, sense it in her motions, the heat and vibration between them. And then with that last, trembling, bliss-filled orgasm, she was gone again.

When Ivy awoke, she was breathing deeply in the scent of her lover's hair. Silver was snuggled up on top of her. "We have plans today. Winton Marsy..." Silver said softly as Ivy started stroking her hair and her back. "And... I want to kill Nightwing. That's alright... isn't it? He's a threat to you, to us, I... can I kill him for you?"

Hearing Silver talk like that... She'd never actually suggested they kill someone before on her own. Ivy smiled, but it was a conflicted smile. Vicious and cruel; was she really those things? Maybe so... but she couldn't deny that hearing Silver saying she was willing to kill so that they could stay together made her feel good. About herself, about a lot of things. It made her feel just that much less alone, just that much more like... like she really did have someone on her side. So, was it crazy then that she was considering putting that in jeopardy?

"...Let me think about it, okay?" Ivy said softly.

"Okay..." Silver agreed placidly, snuggling up to her a bit more.

Was it crazy? Ivy knew what she would have said months ago when she'd started this endeavor of hers, but now? It gnawed at her, the wanting to know, if it was real or not. If Silver really would kill her former lover for her, of her own free will. Wouldn't it be worth the risk, to know that for sure? To know she had someone, without a doubt? After all, the scientist in her reasoned, if Silver wasn't really with her, didn't really love her like she hoped, wouldn't it be a simple matter to replace her, or, problematic as it might be, re-entice her if that was what she wanted? Or... would it be... better, to just let the illusion last, remain in control, keep the possibility alive? A part of her hated thinking of this all so clinically, but she knew herself well enough to know that this was a point of crossroads in her life, a decision she had to make that would inform everything her life would be thereafter. It would be foolish not to consider her options, right? 

She thought about it, and came to a conclusion. The question that mattered: What choice could she live with more? If she let this go on, she knew it would distract her, wear on her, perhaps make her less... effective. She wouldn't be happy, wouldn't be able to fully... enjoy, her time with Silver. The quiet intimacies like this, especially. Not with that question always hanging between them. On the other hand, if she took the risk, and it didn't work out, if Silver rejected her, then... it would hurt, badly hurt her, but she knew she would be stronger for it, be able to move on at least. And if it Silver embraced her? Really did love her back? That would be... that would be something... something she wouldn't want to miss out on. Either way Silver chose though, it would end this distraction in her, let her put her energies where they needed to be. Towards the cause. Whether it would be just her alone, or her and Silver together, the cause, the green, would be protected.

"About Winton Marsy though..." Silver started to say. Marsy was a big oil tycoon up from Dallas, Texas, set to meet with Lex Luthor on a deal they were working towards having to do with national defense. Marsy was a significant target to her, and Ivy wanted him dead in a bad way, as his oil drilling was doing such egregious damage. She'd tried to kill him once before actually, while she was in college, but she'd failed. It was an early foray onto the daunting path of her life's work, and she'd be very happy to be able to correct her prior failure this week, but Marsy was only part of the plan, Luthor the other. Luthor was just as significant a target as Marsy, if not maybe more so, but unlike Marsy, Luthor was also something else: truly dangerous. Anyone who had a real clue how Gotham-Metro worked behind the scenes, knew that. If she tried to kill him and failed the first time, it would be a very dangerous thing. That was why she'd worked up something special this time. She wasn't going to kill Marsy outright, she was going to turn him into a walking bio-weapon--one that could bring an end to the Luthor Corp building's entire human occupancy. It was a test run; if it went according to plan, she'd be able to use variations on the tactic over and over again. Really start making a dent in things. It would be a seismic shift in the landscape, and it would put the Green-Eyes Killer out in the world stage like she'd never been before. There would be no going back. Which was perhaps why she knew things had to come to a head with Silver, one way or another. If she was going to do this, she had to have clear eyes. She had to know just what... who... she was fighting for. And what her assets really were. Would Silver St. Cloud stand with her, showing Ivy that humanity was, perhaps, more redeemable than she might have thought? Or would she leave? Even try to turn against her? Would her lover still think she was beautiful and amazing, or would she only see a serial-killer and a would be mass-murderer who'd taken advantage of her against her will?

"Winton Marsy is for the afternoon to worry about, right now...." Ivy got up, scooping her lover up in her arms effortlessly as she did. She smiled down into Silver's adoring, devoted eyes. "Right now, I'm taking you back to bed and having my way with you. That is, if you're agreeable?" She smiled to her.

Silver just moved up and kissed her. "Always." She told, snuggling into her lover's strong arms and closing her eyes as Ivy carried her back to their bed.

Once there, she lay her down, parted her legs, licked her lips, and then started licking her lover's sex with single-minded ardor. If she was going to do this, set her lover free, she wasn't going to deny herself one last time with her, in case her worst fears came true. 

\--- CATALINA ---

"Vivian Isley is the Green-Eyes Killer, I'm sure of it." Derick Grayson (a.k.a. Nightwing) spoke.

Catalina Flores (a.k.a. Tarantula) looked around the room. They were in Derick's loft. Talia Head, Tim Drake (a.k.a. Robin), Jean Paul Valley (a.k.a. Azrael), and Lilhy (Jean Paul's handler) were there. Tim was at the computer interface, Talia and Lilhy were sitting close to one another. Jean Paul was sitting in a chair, hands steepled, seemingly lost in thought.

"How sure are we that she and St. Cloud are partners?" Lilhy asked.

Catalina noticed Talia touch Lilhy's hair. It was a little thing, but it was obvious to her there was something significant between them. Which made her narrow her eyes a little. Weren't Talia Head and Bruce Wayne supposedly engaged to be married before he died? He was dead, and she was flirting? She made up her mind right then she didn't like Talia much.

"It's not conclusive," Tim spoke. "But there's a lot of circumstantials."

"It's not her." Catalina told softly, looking up to meet Derick's eyes.

"Lina..." Derick moved to touch her arm.

"No," She shook off his touch. "She was my best friend, Ricky. I'd know if, don't you think I would have noticed something if she were a serial killer?"

"It has been three years, don't you think she could have changed?" Tim pointed out. Which was true. Vivian had been her best friend in college, they'd lost touch since then though. She had no idea where Viv was or what she was doing, but she would have suspected she was still hooked up with that pretty blonde psychology professor of theirs. She'd always pictured Viv out traveling the world, crusading for the planet like she always did. Running Greenpeace or something. Not anything like this.

"Not that much." Lina avowed firmly, turning away from them.

"That's enough." Talia spoke. Lina looked at her and their eyes met and Lina couldn't help but be intimidated a little by the resolve and depth she saw there. "Catalina, yes?"

Lina nodded.

"Catalina, I'm sorry, I don't know you, and I don't know this Isley woman at all, but, regardless, you don't seem to grasp the situation. The situation is that it doesn't matter if Isley's guilty or not at this point. We look into her, we'll find out. Why do you seem to have a problem with that?" She asked pointedly.

"If she's innocent, she has nothing to worry about." Lilhy added in support of Talia.

Lina narrowed her eyes a little at Talia. "You think I'm protecting her?"

"Aren't you?" Talia challenged.

"So what if I am? She's my friend, isn't that what you're supposed to do for a friend?" Lina countered.

"Not if she's a murderer." Derick replied, touching her arm again.

She looked him in the eyes. He was so damn infuriating sometimes. Half the time she wanted to hit him, the other half she wanted to fuck him. He was -her- boyfriend, shouldn't he be supporting her in a situation like this? Not fucking Talia Head, who happened to be the daughter of a terrorist for fuck's sake? Whether she was right or not, it shouldn't matter. Even though she -was- right, she was pretty sure of it. She kept her temper in check though and just made a frustrated sound, shrugged off his touch, turned, and walked away. "Fine, have it your way. I'm gone." She told him, not looking back.

"...Maybe that's for the best..." Derick said to her back, which only made her want to go back slap him for being so dense. She didn't though, she just left.

"Have fun sleeping alone tonight. Stupid." She muttered dissatisfiedly.

After she left, she fleetingly wondered if it was such a good idea to have left Ricky in the same room as Talia, who obviously wasn't trustworthy where fidelity in a relationship was concerned. And she -was- also stunningly beautiful, which didn't help matters.

In any case, she knew what she was going to do now. She was going to prove Ricky wrong, prove that Viv was innocent.

Lina remembered the look in Vivian's eyes when her friend had confessed her love for her, and how that look had changed to one of such hurt when Lina had turned her down. Somehow, she still felt guilty about hurting her that much, even now. Even if she'd just been being honest with her.

There was just no way what Ricky thought about her was true though. No way. She wouldn't believe it. 

Not until she heard Viv herself tell her to her face it was true.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(to be continued)


	2. My Best Self

PART 2: MY BEST SELF

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

\--- IVY ---

Ivy was breathing hard as she licked and nipped at Silver's right nipple, her hands holding Silver's arms down to the bed. She was straddling her lover and playing with her a little. Going slow and letting things build again. This was their fifth after Ivy had taken her lover back to bed, and she knew they couldn't tarry much longer, though she wanted to, she didn't want this to end, didn't want to face what was going to be next. Not yet. Silver's frustrated moan got to her though, and she let go of her lover's arms, switched tits and started suckling her lover's left nipple, bringing one of her hands over to kneed the other breast. "Touch yourself for me, Silver..." Ivy spoke in a low voice as she paused and switched tits, taking the other one into her mouth and sucking hard, making Silver cry out.

"Yeeessss... oh, fuck yes...." Silver moved to comply with her lover's command, and Ivy heard the soft sounds of her lover's hand penetrating herself.

Ivy stopped momentarily and bit her lip, moaning against her lover's breast. It was such a turn on. She brought her free hand to her own sex and started to pleasure herself as she switched tits again. Silver's free hand tangled into her hair and pressed her closer, Silver starting to buck and shiver some under her. They moved together in a beautiful tangle and soon Ivy couldn't take it anymore, she let her mouth go of Silver's nipple and gasped against her as she found her release, feeling Silver's orgasm coming in time with her own. They always had good synchrony that way, for making love. Ivy took that as a good sign for their compatibility.

After a while of just lying there pressed against each other, Silver let out a tired, delighted sounding laugh. "Did I ever tell you you're the most amazing, wonderful lover I could ever imagine?" She told. "Because, mmm... speechless..." She hummed blissfully.

Ivy giggled just a little at that, a pleased and satisfied smile coming to her lips, making her feel warm inside... that is, before her mind caught up with her and the feeling dulled. "Silver... I've made a decision." She spoke softly, soulfully.

"Mmm, about what? The Nightwing thing? Because he really does scare me Ivy..." Silver told.

"He scares you?" Ivy asked, diverted by this.

"Mm... He won't stop, I could see it in his eyes, and he'll find out, soon, and then... It can't happen. He has to die Ivy, he just has to. When I think about it, I just want to stab him to death with my own hands. I won't... I won't let him take you away, it won't happen..." She pledged, her voice sounding cold and full of fear and malice, even hatred.

Ivy had never inspired feelings like that in anyone before... well, maybe with Hailey. It made her shiver a little, and produced a churn of mixed emotions. She raised herself up on her elbows a ways and looked down into Silver's eyes and as she gazed into them, she gasped a little and leaned down and kissed her softly. "Thank you." She spoke and then lay her head on her lover's shoulder and snuggled in to kiss her neck.

"Ivy?" Silver asked softly, stroking her hair and waist with her hands.

"Yes?" Ivy replied just as softly, stroking Silver's breast and smiling softly to herself, kissing her lover lightly again.

"Ivy..." Silver rolled her lover over into her back and looked down at her. "What is it?" She asked her softly.

Ivy smiled up at her. "I love you." Ivy told, stroking her face gently. "And... my decision wasn't about Nightwing, but... I'll support whatever you want to do about that, if you still want to... My decision though, is that I want to, I think I need to... set you free... of me..." She explained, looking into Silver's eyes.

"Set me free of... you... oh... you mean, what we talked about before, don't you?" She asked, laying down, resting her head on Ivy's shoulder and stroking her waist a little. "...If that's your decision then..." She replied softly, clearly wishing the subject hadn't been brought up for some reason.

"Silver?" Ivy asked back, care and concern in her voice.

"It scares me..." Silver admitted. "I don't want it to change. It's like, right now, everything is perfect, well, except for Nightwing showing up yesterday, it's perfect. You're... perfect."

"You think it will change if I let you go?" Ivy asked.

"I don't want to think it will, I want to think I'll feel the same, and nothing bad will happen... and I really think, I just... I can't imagine not loving you, no matter what... but it's just..." Silver trailed off.

"Just what?" Ivy asked gently.

"Just... things scare me, even now. What we're doing, killing people? They deserve to die, I know they do. But, and it doesn't scare me to do it, not anymore, because you're like... you make all the decisions... I just have to do what you want, be what you want, I love being what you want... It's who I'd want to be if I could choose to be anyone I think, but... what if I'm really not that person, if I'm not strong enough, or good enough... What if I'm a coward, and what if you see that, and what if... you don't love me." She confessed.

"Oh, Silver... I..."

"I want you to have what you want, and if that's me, the real me, then... okay... I'll... I'll fight to be that, to stay this way. But I guess... I think I must be a coward, because I don't want to have a choice about loving you, being with you... Maybe I'm just being a fool..." She voiced.

"You're not, Silver, you are absolutely not." Ivy told, kissing her softly on the lips. "You're the woman I love."

Silver looked into her eyes and Ivy saw tears fall. "Promise me something, please?" She asked, begged really.

"Promise you what?" Ivy asked, wiping the tears away gently.

"That you won't give up on me... If I get scared, or, or anything. If I can't do it, if... you could put me back this way, maybe? If it doesn't work, if I'm not... you could just... change me back?" She asked. "Would you... do that?" She asked hopefully.

Ivy was quiet. She really hadn't expected Silver to say all of these things. "I... I promise..." She spoke, kissing her cheek where the tears fell. She didn't know if she'd keep the promise or not. Breaking a promise didn't really matter to her, but she felt like she should say it anyway. Even if it might be a lie. 

They were silent a while.

"When will you do it?" Silver finally asked.

"...I'll give you something, to prepare your body, right now. Then, after tonight, I'll start the change." Ivy told her.

"...okay then..." Silver spoke softly in acceptance.

"You'll be like me, a lot more like me then..." She told. "You'll... be able to feel them, feel the green, much more..." Ivy explained wistfully. Thinking how much she liked the idea of having someone else who was really like herself in the world. That hadn't really occurred to her on a conscious level before now, but it was a very heartwarming thought, now that it had occurred to her. Ivy sat up in bed and held her hand out to Silver, smiling to her.

Silver took her hand and sat up with her.

"Maybe... maybe that's what I should be working towards... not just, not only pruning back humanity's worse elements, but improving the good parts, like you." Ivy smiled, the thought bringing up an unaccustomed delight in her. What if everyone, everywhere was like her? "Let's go to the greenhouse." Ivy smiled to her lover as she helped her off the bed.

\--- SILVER ---

The walk across her and Ivy's house's expansive lawn was a nervous one for Silver, even though walking barefoot on the grass would usually soothe her since Ivy had changed her body the first time. She worried about being seen somehow by Derick Grayson in his Nightwing guise (when you thought about it, it really wasn't un-sinister-seeming that grown men and women crept around her city at night in masks, whatever their reasons for doing so were). And perhaps more, she was scared of where she was going. Not the greenhouse itself of course, she loved that greenhouse. She and Ivy had spent a lot of time there, made love there on more than one occasion (Ivy got a little extra... exuberant, when she was with so much plant-life). No, she was scared of where she was going in a personal life journey sense. She'd searched herself over and over again, and still she didn't have a clear answer... how she would react, who she would be, if she would still... love, who it was she loved... once Ivy let her go.

She hated the idea that she might betray or hurt Ivy, or disappoint her somehow. Ivy was always, had always been so understanding and gentle with her though... She wasn't really scared of what Ivy would do, more of what she herself would do. A part of her wanted to just end her own life somehow, rather than risk hurting Ivy. It was a small part, one she knew she couldn't act on even if she wanted because it wouldn't be what Ivy would want her to do and she couldn't disobey her, even if she thought it might be for her own good. It was just the not knowing that scared her. She remembered what she was like, who she was as a person, before Ivy had come and made her... fall in love. And she felt she didn't quite know that person anymore. Know what she would do, how she would feel. She didn't know either, how much of the new her would remain... It was altogether bizarre thinking of herself that way, as two different people. And it didn't make sense of course, because obviously she wasn't two different people, she was just one person.

She really wished this wasn't happening is what she really wished. She wished Ivy would just change her mind, take her in her arms, kiss her, and say it was all a mistake. She could understand why Ivy wanted this though, she really could. Who didn't want to know if the person they loved really, truly loved them back? Silver believed that she did, really believed it. It was like breathing, like air, like sun, the stars at night, or the Earth beneath her feet. And the feeling had only gotten more and more intense the longer Ivy was with her to where now it was the only thing that mattered to her even a little. She believed in Ivy's dreams, or at least she thought they were right, but really, she didn't care. If Ivy moved them to an island somewhere and everything and everyone in the rest of the world just died, Silver thought she might actually be genuinely happy about that, if it meant she got to have her lover all to herself forever. That's how far she was gone. And a small rational part of her knew that was... maybe insane or something, but she couldn't care, she just couldn't anymore... Maybe, probably, she would care after Ivy set her free though, and maybe Ivy did deserve that, deserve someone who was, someone who wasn't just a glorified love slave. She shivered a little. That's what she sort of was... a slave to her love at least. A slave who was scared to ever be set free again.

She held Ivy's hand in hers more tightly as they got to the greenhouse door. She trembled a little as Ivy held the door for her. "Kiss me?" She asked her lover hopefully.

Ivy looked into her eyes and it was heart-stopping those intense emotions for her she saw, and then Ivy's lips were on hers and their bodies slid into familiar place against one another, like Silver's whole body could remember, like she could remember this down to her genes, like if she had children one day, they would remember the echo of this too. She relaxed into the kiss, let the feelings just wash over her, make her feel safe again, like everything was so simple and she was... She kissed Ivy back more, held on more and felt like she wanted to make love to this woman on the grass right now. 

Ivy pushed them apart and a whine of protest escaped Silver's lips. "I wish..." She started to say, but stopped herself, just laying her head on Ivy's shoulder instead and soaking up her familiar warmth and scent greedily.

"What do you wish, my dearest one?" Ivy asked softly.

"That... that I could make love to you on the grass... and that... that... I hate the idea that I..." She couldn't bring herself to say the words.

"If I... commanded you, to tell me truthfully, if you wanted to be set free or not... what would you say?" She asked.

"That I... I don't know. I just know I don't want to hurt you, or, or let you down, and... it feels like, no matter which way I chose, I'd risk that happening..." She admitted, fighting back tears. "A small part of me even thinks maybe you should kill me, to make sure I never hurt you." She admitted, not able to bring herself to lie.

"And... if you knew that neither choice would hurt me, that you wouldn't betray me or let me down either way, what would you chose then?" Ivy asked.

Silver thought about it. Really thought about it. "I... I think I'd choose to be free."

"Why?" Ivy asked softly.

"It's what you want. If I loved you as my own free choice, it would make you happier than you are now." She explained.

"And if I would be just as happy, either way you chose, what would you chose then?" She asked.

"To stay like I am." She admitted the truth. "With you. Forever. I... I'd kill the rest of the world for you if I could, if you wanted, so we could live on an island somewhere, just us... I don't... I don't care about anything else, I really don't, as long as I'm with you and you're happy." She admitted, crying now.

Ivy was just silent, holding her and stroking her hair as she cried.

Soon the tears stopped though, Ivy's warmth, her scent, wouldn't let her stay sad, so Silver started to kiss Ivy's neck and nip at her ear a little. She couldn't help it, didn't want to help it, it was like a gravitational pull for her. Ivy moaned and Silver smiled to herself a little and continued doing what she was doing, taking the reaction as approval. But soon Ivy pushed her away and held her against the inside wall of the greenhouse by her wrists.

Her eyes were intense and Silver couldn't read them. "Ivy?" She asked.

Ivy closed her eyes and bit her lower lip. "I'm really messed up, you know that?"

"Huh?" Silver asked, confused.

"You just said you'd murder the world for me, actually murder everyone in the whole world for me, and I believe... I believe you really would, and it turned me on. Even though it's deeply, thoroughly wrong. So I'm just now realizing I'm really messed up in some ways, that's all." She smiled a little and met Silver's eyes.

"If you are, I like you that way?" Silver offered. "We don't have... We can do whatever you want. We can make love now... here, if you want to?" Silver offered a little hopefully. She didn't want to get in the way of Ivy's plans, but she also wanted to please her lover too.

"You are so damned... frustrating sometimes..." Ivy shook her head and let Silver's arms go, stepping forward and getting on her knees before her. "Just for you..." She spoke softly as she raised Silver's spring dress up and lowered her panties.

Silver was struck speechless as Ivy's tongue made contact with her wet, ready, lusty sex. She moaned and bit her lip, tangling her hands in Ivy's hair and looking down at her lover between her legs, feeling that familiar tongue doing such things to her, she thought she might pass out from what a total rush this was. She felt hot, desired, sexy, loved, it was a complete turn on. She felt herself tremble inside. It was just all so much happening so fast...

Her breathing came heavier, her eyes couldn't stay open, she let her head fall back against the greenhouse wall, the scent of flowers and dirt and Ivy filling her, the sunlight filtering in through the roof, she felt so alive and everything felt vivid and her senses struggled with it. She was glad Ivy was supporting her with her hands some, otherwise she wasn't sure her legs would hold her. Her knees felt weak, her back arched, she heard herself cry out from deep inside her, a low, resonate moan that spiked in pitch towards then end as her body rocked with the acutely-intense orgasm. She shuddered and felt herself being let down gently to the ground. Ivy lay her on her back on the ground and she felt the dirt in her hands as Ivy's body came over top of her and she felt her wrists being held to the ground. She struggled to open her eyes and meet her lover's intense green eyes. She could barely think, really, but she couldn't help but smile. "I love you so much..." She told with soft devotion, feeling so satisfied. And she loved being held like this too, especially here on the dirt. She felt held, possessed, and so safe and loved... she arched a little and hummed just slightly. "Such pretty eyes... please kiss me, Ivy?" She asked hopefully, having lost track of pretty much everything but wanting to be touched by her lover.

"I'm telling you right now, Silver." Ivy spoke instead, biting her lip a little. "You better still love me like this after I let you go, or I think... I think I'll be an absolute wreck." She confessed, lowered herself down, and kissed Silver possessively and with such passion and want, need even. Silver kissed her back eagerly, her heart racing with excitement at Ivy's words, and her touch. She kissed her and kissed her and then finally Ivy pulled back, nipping at Silver's lip a little and tugging it a bit playfully. Ivy sighed. "You'd think you'd put me under a spell too..." She lamented.

"I just love you." Silver spoke almost reverently, willing herself to burn with it, burn it inside her so she wouldn't forget when she was free to choose just how good this felt. How right and wonderful and amazing it felt to be with this woman, to feel her touch. She just couldn't love a person this much if it wasn't real, she told herself. She just had to have faith in that. She had to have faith in love.

"I love you too..." Ivy told, a small smile coming to her lips. "And I guess I'm about to prove just how much, aren't I? Isn't that what they say? If you truly love someone, set them free?" She laughed a little, and got up, straddling Silver and looking down at her a little curiously.

"I don't suppose we have time... I really want to..." Silver breathed and then thought better of what she was going to say.

"Want to what?" Ivy asked with a smile, adjusting the shoulder strap on her own dress.

"...Hold you down and make love to you? Preferably outside, in the sun?" She admitted, once again not able to keep from telling the truth.

Ivy laughed at that, it was a laugh filled with such delight and joy, and it made Silver shiver. How could a person's laugh be that beautiful? It really... made her want to do things to Ivy. Hold her down, kiss her, stroke her just so, drive her wild... She moaned and bit her lip. "So beautiful..." She whispered, looking up into the partly opaque glass ceiling and seeing the sun, feeling the breeze and smelling the scent of fresh water on it, licking her lips and smiling.

Ivy touched her cheek and Silver returned her attention to Ivy's vibrant, loving eyes. "If you stay in love with me after I let you go, Silver, I give you my solemn vow, you can make love to me in the sun as much as you want... Well, within reason, I suppose." She added the last bit with a little regret.

"Still have to save the world, don't you?" Silver asked with a fond expression.

"Always." Ivy admitted.

Silver sighed. "And that just makes me love you more." She replied, smiling. "I always want to remember this..." She told. "Such a beautiful day."

"It is, huh?" Ivy smiled, getting off her and offering her a hand, her lips quirked in a small peaceful smile and her eyes optimistic and trusting. Silver really wanted to kiss her again, just enjoy this day, but she knew the time for that was over, so she took her lover's hand and stood with her. They went to the back and Ivy triggered the security release with a voice command and Silver provided a finger print scan to save time. They were the only two allowed access, unlike the top part of the greenhouse which Shelley the grounds-woman, or the other household staff, could access.

Downstairs was a state-of-the-art laboratory that had glass windows overlooking an underground aquifer fed by an underground river, there was also a warren of caves that lead off towards the coast a few miles away. The water was too cool to swim in for long comfortably, though Ivy could tolerate it more than her. They'd had a picnic down there by the water once. There were these really spectacular plants Ivy had planted down there that flowered even in the dark. It was like a small, underground jungle paradise, actually. The air smelled wonderful, the scent, though not designed to be, was a mild aphrodisiac; well, to her and Ivy at least, not to a regular human (to one of them, Ivy had told her once, it would actually be disorienting, make it hard to think--a purposeful added security measure on Ivy's part--for her though, the beautiful scent actually seemed to help center her thoughts).

Silver went and sat on the examination bench, closing her eyes a moment and just enjoying the scent. Ivy smiled to her when she opened her eyes, then stepped between her legs, kissing her forehead, then caressing her cheek. Silver leaned into the touch gratefully and closed her eyes again. "Be right back." Ivy told softly.

Silver watched as Ivy went over to one of the counters and caressed one of her plants, taking a seed from it and putting it in a glass. She then poured water in it and used an eye dropper to put a green liquid in the water. Next, she got out a syringe and tested it. It was a fairly big syringe. There was a second smaller one too. Silver gulped a little. "Lay on your belly for me, alright darling?" Ivy asked. "And... take off your dress?"

Silver smiled a little uncertainly and did as she was told. Taking off her dress, and her underwear for good measure, she lay, face down, on the table. Ivy walked over to her and touched her leg and Silver felt herself relax at the simple, loving touch. She trusted Ivy, completely. "What now?" She asked warmly.

"This first one... has to be, it's best if, it's injected directly into your spinal column. I can't give you any anesthetic, but it shouldn't hurt much... just, stay still, don't move at all, alright?" Ivy asked her.

"Yes Ivy, I won't move." Silver agreed, trusting and obedient. She had just gotten to that place inside her where she just relaxed and decided to let Ivy make all the decisions and just believe they were the right ones. It gave her a large degree of comfort.

"Okay..." Ivy spoke, and Silver felt the small needle go into her. It did hurt a little, but she didn't move, even though it felt like maybe she should somehow. "There, done." Silver felt Ivy kissing her shoulder-blade. "You did very well."

Silver smiled a little to herself, always liking to hear praise from her lover. "What next?" She asked.

"The second needle, that goes here." Ivy indicated her left butt cheek by tracing a finger over it.

"Kinky." Silver joked.

Ivy laughed a little. "Ready?" She asked.

"As I'll ever be." Silver smiled a little dreamily. That first shot was making her feel a little blurry already.

"Okay." Ivy's voice spoke as Silver felt the bigger needle slide into her, Ivy injecting the contents into her system.

As soon as the needle was out, Silver felt herself moan and then her body tensed up and she grit her teeth, feeling very awake again. "Hurts..." She complained.

She felt herself being turned over onto her back. Ivy got on top of her and held her down. "Look at me, lover, just look at me. It'll be okay. Just stay focused on me." She instructed her calmly. Silver did as she was told and looked into those eyes she so loved and saw love reflected back. Her body jerked and she arched her back and moaned, but Ivy held her tightly down and kept her eyes locked onto her. Until something seemed to ease inside her and she relaxed, gasping, her eyes opening wide.

"I feel... hot... like..."

"Like you need to burn off some energy, right?" She asked.

"...Yeah..." Silver agreed, questioningly. Ivy herself had gone through this too, Silver imagined. Only she hadn't had anyone to help her. "What should I do?" She asked. Her body felt warm and tense. Like she wanted to either be... violent, or amorous. She greatly was in favor of the amorous option.

"What do you want to do?" Ivy asked.

"Make love..." She admitted, her eyes holding onto Ivy's gaze with intensity.

Ivy smiled to her. "There's a bed over there." She let her hands free. "We've got a half-hour or so before you need the next stage... We can do whatever you want." She offered.

Silver got a little of a wicked smile on her lips. "Really?"

"I'm yours." Ivy promised, a soft, sensuous, and somewhat submissive smile on her lips as she got up off the table, took off her clothing while Silver watched, and lifted her up in her arms. Silver smiled and wrapped her arms around Ivy's shoulders and snuggled close to be carried the short distance to the lab's bed, which was, like the one in their room, made of vines and leaves and growing things, except this one was more like a large hammock in an alcove full of plants, many of them flowering and sweet-smelling. The plants were so pretty, and when Ivy touched them, more flowers started to bloom. Ivy set her down gently and then got on top of her. "What do you want, Silver? I'll do whatever you tell me." She told her.

Silver thrilled at that. "Kiss me..." She commanded.

Ivy did, such tender, intense kisses. "More... touch me more..." Silver told her. Ivy did as she was told, pressing her lips harder, their tongues dancing together, Ivy's dominating hers. Ivy's hands were all over her it seemed, her body pressing down on hers. Silver's body was responding greedily, sliding against the dominating form above her, resisting her so she could feel Ivy's superior strength hold her down. She craved this touch, Ivy's touch now, as much as she ever had. "Take me, Ivy, own me, don't be... don't be gentle with me, I need you..." She moaned.

"Whatever you want..." Ivy breathed.

"I want you in me..." Silver breathed, the need within her welling up. She felt jittery and her body was burning inside, and she felt like... like she was already missing something she'd had before, like she didn't belong to Ivy quite as much as she had before already, even though it wasn't supposed to happen yet. Not yet. And she wanted Ivy to claim that part of her back. "Take me, all... all of me..." Silver begged as Ivy's lips nipped at her neck, Ivy's hands were on her breast and in her hair, her thigh pressed between hers. Silver held Ivy to her as she felt Ivy bite her skin, almost enough to draw blood, but not quite. Soon, Ivy's lips were on her mouth again, her hand between Silver's legs, fingers penetrating her deeply, exploring, claiming. Ivy's thumb was pressing into her clit, hard, her fingers touching her just right, ratcheting up her desire. Ivy's lips went to her ear next, licking, sucking. Silver moaned and held on. Ivy was driving into her now, pressing hard and rocking her, stroking around her g-spot, grazing it, then pressing in forcefully, making Silver cry out a shuddering orgasm. She felt exultant. And Ivy stayed with her, stroking her just so. Her breathing was hard. She felt like her body was thrumming and she impulsively turned Ivy over onto her back and claimed her mouth in a hungry, desperate kiss. "Touch me..." She asked Ivy. "Touch me..." She brought Ivy's hand back to her sex and then, when she felt those magical fingers working again, she brought her own finger's to Ivy's sex and felt it wet and welcoming to her. "Yes... So good..." She sighed into Ivy's shoulder and she bit her lip and moved her body with Ivy's, in a slowly building rhythm.

"Oh, Silver...." She heard Ivy breathe. "Oh, lover..."

Ten minutes later found her mouth on Ivy's tit, sucking greedily as she was bringing Ivy to release.

Ten minutes after that found her with her head between Ivy's legs, Ivy's head between hers. The fever in her was finally starting to abate some and she felt more normal again, more steady, but also more... strong, powerful, and... connected. She could feel Ivy like she hadn't been able to before. Feel how much more beautiful, how much more precious and wonderful she was than Silver had even thought possible. And she could feel the green, growing things around them, feel the Earth herself (and that was literal, the Earth was female, she could tell now). And she wanted to feel the sun on her again, could almost sense it's warmth above her through the ground. She felt herself building to another orgasm and her mind just kind of exploded when it happened, like she could feel so much of the world, the living world. No wonder Ivy was like she was about her cause. To protect this feeling...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(to be continued)


	3. When We Go To Dance

PART 3: WHEN WE GO TO DANCE

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

\--- SILVER (continued) ---

"Drink this for me?" Silver heard Ivy's voice through her blissful haze. She came to again, realized she must have passed out. Ivy was getting into bed with her again and offering her that glass with the seed and the green water she'd made before.

"Mmm..." Silver told herself to wake up and took the glass, drinking it and swallowing the seed without thought or consideration. She swallowed and looked into Ivy's eyes, feeling... if it was possible... even more completely devoted to the woman over her. She smiled, really liking that feeling. Ivy felt really like... family... to her now, like they were somehow essentially the same, essentially, intrinsically connected in some way she couldn't quite define or comprehend. "Do we have to go now?" She asked.

"Yeah, we need to be there by six, and it's a little after three-thirty now. We need to prepare, my love." Ivy stroked her cheek and Silver closed her eyes and smiled at the touch. "I... didn't know it would be like this, you know. That I'd... feel you... so much... inside me." Ivy smiled to her. "Silver..."

"It's wonderful..." Silver agreed, her eyes full of devotion. "Like... I'm a part of you now..." She told softly. "You're so beautiful, so... amazing..." Silver ran reverent fingers over Ivy's cheek.

Ivy smiled to her. Her fingers shook a little as she touched Silver's skin. She bit her lip and Silver found that so endearing. "I want to..."

"Ravish me?" Silver smiled.

"And have you ravish me, have a long session of simultaneous ravishment..." Ivy explained a little dreamily, sounding, uncharacteristically, just a little goofy, in a love-sick sort of way.

Silver smiled, moving up to capture Ivy's lips. "I couldn't do that quickly right now... Maybe we have time for a few minutes of cuddling though?" She asked hopefully.

Ivy's smile was dazzling. "I think that could be managed..." She settled down next to her and they just held each other, Ivy kissed her cheek again lightly and they snuggled in close together. Ivy's scent was so intense to her now, much more than before. Not overwhelming, just... vivid, bright... She could smell the flowers and the plants too, like she'd never been able to before. They felt like family to her now too somehow. She could tell, they felt her too, they loved her, like they loved Ivy. She could sense them, growing, becoming, living... so vibrantly. Such beauty. And Ivy's skin against hers... she just couldn't get enough of touching her. She wanted to make love, but steadfastly told herself no, that it was important that she not get in the way of Ivy's plans by making them late. It was frustrating, but she pushed it aside and just soaked up Ivy's closeness greedily. It gave her energy somehow, strength... and Ivy's touch was so caring, loving, and passionate--even in such an innocent gentle contact as they shared now, she could feel Ivy's passion for her. She felt wanted, and she definitely felt so much want in return.

"Time to go, love." Ivy whispered, making Silver shiver just a bit. Ivy got up, moving over her to step out of bed, then offering Silver her hand as Silver sat up. She took the hand and went with her. They got dressed together, zipping up each other's dresses in the back without having to be asked. Ivy stood in back of her now, smelling her hair. "Your scent..." She felt Ivy shiver a little.

"What about it?" Silver asked softly.

"Mm... it's hard... not to take your dress off again..." She admitted a little sheepishly.

Silver smiled. "That's good though, right?" She asked, just a little shyly.

Ivy hugged her. "Mm-hm. Just... unexpected. Not that I didn't always like undressing you, it's just..."

"It's more vivid, isn't it?" Silver asked. "For me too... I feel so much more now, Ivy. It's so different... but we're not so different, to each other I mean, anymore. We're close to being the same, really the same... Aren't we?"

"Yes... you're right... I hadn't... I hadn't realized how much I wanted this feeling. I hadn't... I didn't know." She kissed Silver's shoulder.

"Ivy..." Silver spoke.

"Yes..." Ivy agreed, caught up in smelling Silver's hair, much to Silver's delight.

"Thank you... for sharing this with me." She spoke softly. "For sharing you... with me..."

Ivy moaned a little. "I really want to take off this dress again... Why can't the world be perfect so we could just fuck each other's brains out now...?"

Silver laughed. "My wicked, lusty, sexy, sexy vixen." She turned in Ivy's arms and kissed her. "You're making me hot talking like that. You should stop." She smiled.

Ivy smiled back and caressed her cheek. "Mmm, the sacrifices I make." She spoke lamenting. "Let's go then." She took Silver's hand and they walked back out of the laboratory, through the greenhouse, and back across the lawn to the main house.

A little while later, in their room, Silver stood there, nude, in front of the mirror, Ivy's hands on her shoulder. She was... green. All of her, except her hair. Just like Ivy. She touched herself. "I hadn't realized." She observed. Which was ridiculous that she hadn't, but she just hadn't noticed. Ivy was on her mind too much. "You like it?" Silver asked.

"You have no idea..." Ivy's voice was a bit low, and it made Silver shiver a little. Ivy moved in and warped her arms around her and Silver sighed, feeling so content to have those familiar arms around her again.

"But it's bad right? For the plan? I mean, I can't go out like this..." She considered, trying to stay focused and not think about making love to her lover.

"No, but that shouldn't be a problem. You can just change it... Like this..." Ivy closed her eyes, her chin resting on Silver's shoulder, and Ivy's skin color changed, not terribly quickly, but it changed to a normal human skin tone.

Silver watched in a little bewilderment as her own skin changed right along with Ivy's.

"You did it, see?" Ivy smiled, clearly delighted that her lover had learned so quickly.

"No I... I didn't even try, it just happened while yours changed... Like it was automatic..." She admitted.

Ivy just looked at her, their eyes meeting in the mirror. "Our bodies must be... in tune with one another, somehow..." Ivy spoke the thought out loud. "Close your eyes..." Ivy asked.

Silver did so automatically. 

"Can you... sense anything? From me?" She asked softly.

"I..." Silver tried to tell if she could. "I don't know... It's just like... I know you're there... Not just because... because you're touching me, I just... know it." She told in soft wonder.

Ivy considered this. "We have time..." She spoke out loud. "Not much time, but... I want you to leave the room, alright? Go... hide somewhere, like the children's game? Will you do that?"

"Of course." Silver agreed, smiling. She liked being told what to do by Ivy, even more now for some reason. She just liked it. She went out of the room and down to one of the guest rooms, hiding in the bathtub of the attached bathroom. A minute later, Ivy came in and found her. "That was fast..." Silver observed, smiling as she stood up. "Why did we do that though?" She asked curiously.

"I knew where you were. I just knew it." Ivy told.

Silver considered that. "I did too." She realized. "I could tell you were following after me. We can find each other." She realized.

"We can." Ivy repeated. "That could be useful." She considered. "But come on, we need to get you dressed. We're running low on time."

They went back to the bedroom and got dressed.

"How do I look?" Silver asked, again standing in front of the mirror in a black dress, heels, jewelry, etc...

Ivy smiled a little. "Beautiful, as always... Though, of course, it's never been my favorite look for you. Or for any woman. Too... artificial. But you know that about me." She qualified.

"I do." Silver confirmed fondly. Ivy didn't care for make up or jewelry, Silver knew. What attracted her was health and vitality, life, vibrant life... real beauty, she said. And Silver, after really experiencing that, seeing Ivy laying on the grass, or even just waking from sleep, she had to agree that all the things society told a woman to wear to make her beautiful, only actually covered that beauty up or, at least, tried to hide its lack if the woman in question were sickly or emaciated or whatnot. Her friends, those she'd kept up with lately, had all remarked on how her body had changed. Become more athletic, more... Ivy'd used the word 'sleek' once. That made Silver smile. "My personal favorite for you is how you look... after we’ve made love." She felt herself heat a little at her own words and her body flushed a little green momentarily. She saw in the mirror Ivy's did too.

"You'll have to be careful of that in public." Ivy smiled playfully, running a hand over her belly and thigh, down her leg, the other hand on her arm.

"Yes Ivy." Silver agreed obediently.

"You seem..." Ivy was apparently noticing something.

"What?" Silver asked.

"More... obedient... than usual, somehow."

"Mmm, yes, I noticed that too. It's a nice feeling, I don't even think about it anymore. It's like what you want me to do, it's what I want me to do to." Silver admitted.

Ivy seemed to think about that some. "Are you still frightened of Nightwing?" She asked experimentally.

"Huh? Oh, I'd forgot. I don't know... maybe." She admitted.

"Do you still want to kill him?" Ivy asked.

"If you want me to." She admitted. 

"And if I... no, never mind." Ivy shook her head.

"What is it?" Silver asked.

"Just another unexpected thing, that's all." She smiled a little ruefully.

"Mmm, you're kind of tense now, I wish I could give you a massage." Silver considered wistfully.

"You want to? Without being asked?" Ivy asked.

"Yes, of course. It's all I seem to be able to think about, unless you need me to think of something else of course. I just... wanting to touch you. Be with you..." She felt her heart rate rise a little, as though she could just taste Ivy's lips on hers again. She wished she could push Ivy down onto the bed and taste those lips, meld their bodies together again... She felt herself flush again.

She felt Ivy shiver. "Mmm..." She shook her head. "I can relate..." She admitted, biting her lip a little.

Silver smiled a little triumphantly, loving the implied complement in Ivy's words and tone. "So, time to go?" She asked.

"It is..." Ivy agreed.

Gustav the chauffeur, as well as Raul and Nina (their maids), were waiting for them (Shelley the grounds-woman and Nina were a couple--like Raul and Gustav). Gustav, Nina, and Raul were all armed, just to be safe, in case something went wrong. Nina was going with Silver in the car and would wait for her there with Gustav. 

Raul was going with Ivy in a van (much as Silver knew Ivy disliked having to use automobiles at all). 

Silver was meeting her date where they were going. James Clarkson--a handsome, well-to-do banker's son whom Ivy had enchanted to do as he was told and play his part with Silver at the function tonight. It was a charity ball for the Gotham-Metro Symphony. Silver had long been on the charity's board of directors and had arranged to have Mary June Marsy be one of the speakers as she was in town and a well-known supporter of the arts back in her native Dallas. Mary June being Winton Marsy's wife meant Winton would, naturally, be in attendance as well.

One limo ride later, Silver met James at the party and they went in. Mary June gave her speech, as did the other two speakers, and then it was time for the ball. She was dancing with James, all the while thinking of Ivy and wishing she were the one holding her in her arms now, when a familiar voice spoke. "May I cut in?"

It was Derick Grayson. A chill ran through Silver's veins at seeing him here. "Derick?" She asked. James looking to her for instruction. "It's... It's alright James, Derick is... an old friend. I'd be happy to spare a dance for him, if you wouldn't mind of course?" She asked him.

"Of course. I'll just go get us some champagne." James agreed cordially.

Derick wasted no time in sweeping Silver up in his arms. "Interesting perfume." He spoke.

"It's new." Silver told, her mind working out very easily how dangerous this was. Should she do something? She had to make sure the plan went through, that was imperative to her berceuse it was imperative to Ivy and right now she only seemed to want what Ivy wanted (well, except for the sex obsession, but it seemed like Ivy had that too, which meant she probably actually did only want what Ivy wanted even for that, kind of). Nightwing would be a wildcard, and a very dangerous one, that meant she had to find a way to eliminate him... But she had to do it quietly, so nothing would seem amiss.

"Is it." He didn't say it as a question. "You know, I've been looking into you more closely since last night."

"Have you?" She asked.

"You know, I didn't really think you were involved when I went to see you. I just thought, well, I had to make sure. But, after talking with you..." He led off.

"I, what, said something that made you think I was a secret serial killer? Is that it, Derick? Really?" She asked, trying to sound like her old self.

He was silent.

"Well?" Silver asked.

"Does the name Vivian Isley mean anything to you?" He asked.

Silver had to fight very hard not to tense up. Ivy. That was Ivy's name, her birth name. "We should go somewhere, have a private chat I think." She moved her hand to touch her earring and slide it from her ear. Derick's eyes went a little wide and she felt his heart rate increase. She smiled--she had him. The green earrings weren't jade, they were a crystallized chemical that activated on touch and gave off a scent that enthralled whomever smelled it. "Don't you think we should?" She asked again.

"I um, yeah, that sounds... good..." Derick agreed.

She led her dance partner off. They exited the dance floor and Silver lead him out to the front, using her cell phone to call Gustav to swing the car around; luckily there was no one much about except for a few pedestrians across the street. She got in with Derick and looked at Nina. "Shoot him." She told her, and Nina pulled a gun with a silencer out from under her coat and pulled the trigger. Derick moved at the last moment, and the shot only hit his shoulder. He lunged at Nina, yanking the gun out of the surprised woman's hand and hitting her with his good elbow in the face, knocking her cold.

"Stop it! You're hurting her!" Silver cried as she pulled Derick off Nina and pinned him to the floor of the limo, face down. 

"You... you really tried to kill me." Derick sounded truly surprised. "What has she done to you?"

"It doesn't matter. I won't let you take her away from me--I won't!" She felt fury inside her now and she broke his arm. He cried out in pain and she wrapped her hands around his neck and squeezed, then jerked upwards, breaking his neck. It was easy, she was much stronger than him now. She was breathing hard and her mind was stormy feeling--she had to fight an instinct to keep hurting him even though he was dead. She tried to make her breathing even out and get her thoughts together. She got up from the floor and went to check on Nina, relieved to find her pulse was strong and steady. Nina was Ivy's just like she was, so of course she had to keep her alive and protected if she could. Next, she hit the intercom button. "Take us to the parking lot Gustav; drive slowly, don't attract attention." She told the driver.

"Yes Ms." Gustav replied.

Silver sank back to the floor and leaned against the side of the car as the car started to move. She breathed a sigh of relief. No one had been around, not close anyway, when she'd brought Derick to the car, and Gustav had kept the engine running, so probably no one had noticed anything amiss happening inside the car. An intense need welled up inside her--to find Ivy, to ask her to hold her, feel her touch; it was nearly overpowering, but she fought it down. This... was just a small bump in the road. That's all. She had to get back to the party and find Winton and Mary June Marsy. She was missing an earring, she realized. She went to the on-board compartment and retrieved a back-up, putting it through her ear with gloves and checking herself. Nina moaned, starting to wake.

"Nina, good, you're awake." Silver looked down at herself and realized she had some of Derick's blood on her left arm. At least it didn't look like any got on her dress.

"There's blood." Nina noticed.

"Is there a way we can clean it off in the car?" She asked her maid.

"Um," Nina rubbed her head and felt her face.

"You'll have a black eye I think, and we should get a doctor to check you out later, but right now you need to focus; for Ivy." Silver pressed her.

"Right, Ms. Silver... Um, club soda might work? We have some..." She reached for the mini-fridge but stopped when her head was in pain.

"It's all right, I'll get it." Silver offered, getting up and being careful to avoid any blood. She got to the fridge and got out the club soda. Thinking quickly, she found the cloth napkins next and went to work washing the blood from her arm.

"Ms. Silver?" Nina asked as they pulled into the parking lot space. 

"Hm?" Silver replied absently, examining her skin carefully.

"You're green again." She pointed out.

"Huh? Oh, right." She clenched her fists and felt frustrated. She tried to calm down though, remember how it felt when Ivy was touching her and she changed her skin color so easily without even trying, because Ivy was there with her. That seemed to work, because when she opened her eyes again, her skin was normal again; normal for a human of her ancestry at least. She smiled. "I can do this, I have to." She told herself. The plan wasn't really that set back; all she had to do was go back into the party and play her part. She got her cell phone from her purse and called Ivy.

"Ivy?" She asked.

"I'm here. What happened love?" Ivy's soothing voice came over the line. "Why did you leave the dance?"

Silver sighed. "It's so good to hear your voice..." She spoke longingly. "Nightwing, or Derick I mean, he was there, he cut into my dance. I had to... He knew your name Ivy, your birth name at least."

She heard Ivy gasp. "What did he..."

"It's all right. I used an earring on him; got him away to the car and killed him. The blood didn't get on my dress, so I can still go back and do my part. I promise, I won't let you down."

She could almost hear Ivy's smile through the cell phone. "Just be safe. I believe in you. I love you Silver, so much." She heard the soft voice say.

Silver held the phone to her heart, closed her eyes and smiled. The words making her feel blissful and warm inside. "Gustav." She pressed the intercom, looking at the suffering Nina to assure herself she'd be okay.

"Yes Ms.?" He replied.

"Once I'm gone, take the car where you won't be observed, get a blanket from the trunk, wrap up the body back here and stow it in the trunk..." She looked at Nina again. "And look after Nina, be ready to come when I call."

"I will be Ms., don't worry. And I will make sure Ms. Nina is well looked after."

"Good." Silver smiled in relief. "Good, now take us back and drop me off."

\--- IVY ---

Ivy was in a back room at The Royce-Jennings where the Gotham-Metro Symphony benefit was taking place. She had a young man, a server, with her, under her persuasion. She'd researched him, found he was doing under-graduate work in tax law following in his father's footsteps (his father was a tax lawyer for a big logging company), and decided he was an ideal candidate for a suicide bomber. Raul had taken his place on the serving staff up until now. She adjusted the straps on his harness and checked the detonator again. It was far from her usual modus operandi, but that was the point.

"Your hands feel nice..." The young man spoke.

"Be quiet, please." She told him, and he was. She'd dosed him enough that he would be very obedient to her, but he was straight in that really disgusting way that happened when a man saw a woman more as something to be conquered and used rather than as a real person, which meant she had to put up with him looking at her like she would, well, prefer never to be looked at again for the rest of her life actually. (The women of the world would be better off with this one weeded out, that was for sure.) There was a knock on the door. It was Raul. "It's time then?"

"Yes." Raul replied. "Ms. Silver is back and she's talking with the Marsys."

"Alright. You know what to do then. Be very, very sure Silver is not harmed in the least, no matter what. You understand Raul? I will cut off your lover's head in front of you if she is hurt. I promise I will. You understand me, don't you?" She looked into his eyes.

He swallowed a little. "Yes Ms., I... will protect her with my life." He pledged.

"See that you do." She instructed. She was tense and agitated. She hated the idea of this now that she was here, because Silver was in the middle of it like she was. And that Nightwing had gotten so close to her lover before... It was making her a little crazy. She had the irrational urge to go hurt people, men, men with black hair like Grayson's really, for no reason. Well, there was a reason, obviously. Simply not one that made logical sense. She buttoned the server boy up and gave him to Raul. "Now go. I'll be with the minivan."

"Yes Ms." Raul replied obediently. She somewhat regretted threatening him, but... she couldn't -not- threaten him. Even if it might be pointless. And that scared her a little.

She herself was in a server's uniform. Slacks, white shirt, vest, bow-tie. Silver had told her she looked really beautiful in it, dashing actually. Ivy smiled at remembering that. Her? Dashing? She had to chuckle a little to herself. It would be the first time someone had ever called her something quite like that.

She caught sight of the van and took out her keys. As she did though, something impacted her body across the abdomen, around and around, she had to struggle a bit to keep her footing, the force jerking her this way and that. And just like that, she was tied up. Her right arm was partly free though, as she'd, luckily, been looking at the keys on her key ring at the time.

She was honestly just a little bit dumbfounded to find a masked woman in back and dark yellow drop silently down in front of her. "Tarantula, I guess?" She asked, a little curious despite herself. It did make sense that Nightwing's new 'crime-fighting' partner was here with him. She'd never actually seen one of these sort of people up close and in person before. She'd seen Power Woman and Supergirl from a distance once when they were fighting a man that looked like he was made of energy and gilded in gold once (she'd run the other way, of course), that was the limit of her experience.

"And you would be Dr. Vivian Isley, also known as, I think, The Green Eyes Killer?" Tarantula questioned, hesitantly for some reason, stepping forwards so Ivy could see her eyes.

Ivy narrowed her gaze a little. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

"I..." Tarantula stepped back. "We've never met. But that's not important right now."

"No, I, wait, Lina, Catalina Flores! It is you, isn't it?" The mask couldn't hide those eyes, those lips, and the dark wavy hair only confirmed it. "The college roommate I had a crush on is Tarantula. Wow. I'd say 'I'd never have guessed' but I suppose I just did, didn't I?" Ivy smiled to her.

She could see Catalina visibly shutting down any unproductive impulses to focus on the matter at hand; Ivy couldn't help but find that cute for some reason. Catalina had always seemed cute to her, whatever she did actually. Such a shame she was straight and she never got to make love with her even once. Well, maybe this was her chance to make up for that a little, she smiled to herself. "Why were you in there Vivian?" Catalina asked. "Why are you doing this?" She asked a little softer. "Please, tell me this is some kind of mistake?"

Ivy smiled soft and kind to her. "It's not. I'm doing this to save the world, you should know that Lina. We were never unclear with each other about what we believed, were we? I all but told you I'd do this, just like you all but told me you'd do what you're doing now, didn't you? One of the reasons I fell so hard for you; always crusading against one injustice or another..." She hardened her gaze a little and her voice. "And some other things you should be clear about. My people have Derick Grayson, and there's a bomb inside that will kill a lot of people. Grayson, Nightwing, will die, will be killed if I don't tell my people not to kill him. That bomb will kill those people if I don't tell you where it is and how to disarm it. Neither of which I will do unless you come over here right now and untie me, Lina. I mean it."

"Ricky..." Catalina gasped a little.

"He's your lover, isn't he? That look? He has to be. You'll be killing him Lina; in effect, you'll be killing him if you don't do what I say right now. You understand that?" Ivy told her gently. "I can't let you stop me." She almost whispered that last part.

Catalina looked her in the eyes a moment--a hard, hateful, betrayed look, and then hung her head a little in seeming acceptance, walking over to Ivy and beginning to untangle the wire. "Promise me you won't kill him, Viv, please?" She asked softly.

"I promise." Ivy told her. A promise she could easily keep, as her lover had already killed him and made it, therefore, impossible for she herself to do so, even were she so inclined (which she supposed she was, not that it really mattered).

When Ivy was free, she smiled.

"I kept my part of the bargain Viv. Now, tell me where the bomb is." Lina looked into her eyes steadily. She knew Ivy might go back on her word, Ivy could tell she knew that. She was taking a risk. She probably figured she could handle it if it were a double-cross, like she handled all sorts of crooks as Tarantula no doubt.

"Alright..." Ivy leaned forward quickly and softly captured a surprised Catalina in a kiss. Catalina tried to back away a little at first, but then Ivy could feel her relax and surrender to the kiss. She gently brought their bodies closer together and deepened the kiss. She smiled internally as she felt Lina's arms hold her back like a lover's. After a lengthy make-out session to make sure the influence would hold strongly, Ivy broke the kiss and stepped back just a little. Their arms still held each other by the waists. Ivy brought her hand up to touch Catalina's cheek. "Do you love me, Lina?" She asked softly.

"Viv... yes... I love you... very much... I always have..." Catalina told her softly, a look of complete adoration and desire in her eyes as she almost shyly stroked Ivy’s hair a little.

"Could you take off that mask then? I'd... really like to see your face again...?" Ivy asked. Given a choice, instead of doing this to her, she wished she could have the time and let herself take the risk to try to convince Catalina of the justice and necessity of her cause, because she honestly thought Catalina of all people might understand what was at stake, might understand that she was doing the right thing, the -only- thing any sane and capable person would do when faced with the looming death of the world they lived on, but this was just too important to take a chance like that right now on. Her commitment to her cause had to be complete for her to succeed, she believed that whole-heartedly. And she -had- to succeed, for anything else to happen was something she simply could not even bring herself to think about fully.

"Of course." Catalina smiled a little shyly and did what was asked. Ivy smiling at how beautiful she still was.

"He's dead you know, your Derick? I lied; he was already dead. And I'm going to let that bomb explode. They're criminals, Lina. They're hurting the green, killing it. I have to stop them." Ivy told her honestly, stroking her face gently. She told her this to test her reaction, to make sure she was hers all the way now... but also, because she thought Lina deserved the truth from her, at least when she was free to give it.

She could see a look of sadness well up on Catalina's face. "He's dead, Ricky's dead..." Catalina spoke softly.

"Hey, forget him, alright? Don't be sad... We'll be together now. I love you, Lina. You don't need him anymore." She spoke the words only to comfort her, knowing that if Lina had it to really choose, her old crush would hate her quite a lot right now. But she felt she kind of owed her whatever comfort she could give. "Okay?" She asked, smiling to her reassuringly and giving her a chaste kiss.

"Yeah... okay... Viv..." Catalina looked into her eyes with trust and obvious intense infatuation. Ivy couldn't help but thrill a little at seeing that look on her face. After all, she couldn't count the number of times in her past she'd wished to see just that.

She kissed her again, gentle and slow. Lina kissed back eagerly. "Come on, we've got to go. The fireworks will start soon. We need to be ready, love."

"Yes Viv..." Lina played with Ivy's hair and smiled adoringly to her, easily letting Ivy lead her off by the hand over to the van. As she was opening the door, Ivy heard the explosion. She got in the van and started the engine, sighing to herself and reminding herself grudgingly that it was necessary, the car was necessary. Also reminding herself to work on that hybrid liquid-oxygen fuel idea of hers more. If it worked, she'd be able to make a car, or, well, have other people who knew about cars make a car that actually cleaned the air rather than polluting it. Not that it would be a final solution, just a stepping stone, but it would stop the car exhaust if she could make it work, then get all the pavement torn up later. She detested pavement. She could feel all the green things under it that wanted to grow but were cruelly locked away from the sun.

"Catalina, get up here in the passenger seat by me." Ivy instructed, helping her new helper up and over her lap to the seat, shivering a little at the intimate contact when Catalina brushed against her chest. While she waited for Raul to come, Catalina snuggled up leaning against her side sighing contently when Ivy let her hold her hand. Ivy considered this new development. She actually did want to take Lina as a lover, she knew herself enough to know that would probably always be true. To say she'd had a crush on her then roommate was actually putting it mildly; she'd fallen in love with her, all but hopelessly so, and she wasn't one to let go of feelings like that easily. Plus, Lina was completely stunning to look at. She'd confessed her feelings for her once even, but gotten turned down; Lina saying she was straight and seeing a boy she liked, asking if they could still be friends. Not that Ivy was willing to sacrifice Silver to bed one of her college love interests (even the one that was by far and away the most important to her), and she was still planning on setting Silver free, right? She had to admit to waffling a little on that. It was just so completely easy with her, especially now. But no, her reasons for wanting it were still good reasons, right? She sighed, not so completely sure anymore. The thought of losing Silver made her almost physically ill now; it was worse than before, she couldn't even stand to think about it. She felt Catalina squeeze her hand a little and Ivy smiled. She had no problem with the idea of having more than one lover at a time; she'd had several at once on many occasions in her past actually. She really completely hated sleeping alone--but ever since she'd met Silver she somehow hadn't wanted to have anyone but her. Oh, she'd had Nina and Shelley in their bed once early on, but she just hadn't wanted to again after that. She wasn't really sure she wanted to now. The idea of sharing Silver with another woman, even one she had genuine deep feelings for, wasn't, well, it made her feel conflicted at least, territorial at worst. But Lina was hers now, it just seemed, well, really nonsensical not make love with her when she wanted to so much. Maybe if she just made love to Lina once and didn't tell Silver about it, maybe that would get it out of her system? That idea didn't sound very appealing to her either really, but maybe it would be worth it anyway? As she pondered whether that idea was any good or not, she looked over and saw Raul heading towards them with an unconscious Winton Marsy in his arms. Marsy wasn't a big man or anything, and Raul was tall and strong and had no trouble carrying him. A few others, serving staff mostly, came out with him. Ivy got out of the van and went to open the back of the van for them. "Stay here Lina, alright?" Ivy asked her new follower.

"Alright." Catalina replied agreeably. "Hurry back." She implored softly under her breath, wrapping her arms around herself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(to be continued)


	4. A Strange Phenomenon

PART 4: A STRANGE PHENOMENON

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

\--- IVY (continued) ---

"She's alright, isn't she?" Ivy asked Raul worriedly.

Raul smiled in reassurance. "Not a scratch. I have the scratch, see?" He showed her his arm cut with a little debris apparently. A bit bloody, but relatively minor. "She took Mrs. Marsy with her with everyone else, just like the plan. No difficulties." He reported.

Ivy breathed out heavily in relief. She hadn't realized just how much she'd been trying not to think about the possibility of something bad happening to her lover. "Good. Very good. You did well, thank you Raul."

"You are welcome." He answered. "I know, I know you must have been very worried, to say what you said to me before." He told.

Ivy looked at him. "Oh, Raul. I'm sorry I said that, truly." She told him.

"But you would have followed through, I know..." Raul replied as he loaded Marsy into the back of the van carefully. "If someone did not protect my Gustav when they could have, I would want to cut off heads too. I... I understand this feeling." He told, not looking at Ivy.

Ivy smiled to herself, knowing he was right. If Silver died, she would be in a very fowl, loathsome, desperate mood indeed. She would have followed through on her promise, no question. "Stay with him in the back, make sure he doesn't get jostled too badly." Ivy instructed simply.

"Yes, Ms. Ivy." Raul followed instructions.

Ivy took one more look around to insure no one had seen them. She had been sure to park in the shadows in an unobtrusive place, but it paid to be paranoid with these things, to make sure everything was just so. Or you got Tarantulas. She sighed, hearing sirens in the distance. She looked over and saw a man in a suit coming over to them. She recognized him as the head caterer and clinched her fists.

"You two: What are you doing over here!?" He called to them, apparently having just gotten the rest of his staff accounted for and on their way to safe zones. "Was that a man's body I saw you carrying? Does he need medical attention?"

"Yes, I think he does!" Ivy called back, pretending concern while going over to meet him. "We were going to try to get him to some help." She told him once they were in talking distance.

"Let me see." He commanded. Ivy let him pass by her then quickly warped her arms around him from behind and used a mace-like sprayer to spray something into his face. He relaxed into her.

"What..." He started to say.

"Don't tell anyone you saw us here, no matter what." She told him, holding him firmly from behind. "Do you have a family?" She asked.

"A wife, a daughter..." He provided.

"Go home, kill your wife with a kitchen knife, then kill yourself with the same knife. I can't have anyone know I was here. And besides, there are too many people on the planet; you want to help me fix that, don't you?" She asked coolly. She would rather not do this. The man seemed harmless enough. But she needed to make sure to cover her tracks so they disappeared as best she could. She couldn't just kill him and dispose of the body, people would wonder where he was. She couldn't just tell him not to say anything, her influence might wear off; it did sometimes, mostly with people she hadn't been intimate with or who hadn't been with her very long. Or he could be discovered. And she couldn't hire him as house staff or anything; his attitude was clearly abrasive, the house didn't need him and, again, it was a connection, a path someone could follow. This way wasn't foolproof either, but it was the best option she could come up with right now. A murder-suicide would look like a domestic issue; it wouldn't raise suspicions. And, as distasteful as it was, necessities would out. And it was true there were too many humans anyway, nearing fourteen billion, so... She just felt a little bad for the daughter.

"For you? Anything." He pledged devotedly.

"Good. Just... don't hurt your daughter, and make sure she doesn't see." She told him.

"You need not worry, I will... carry out your instructions Ms. I swear, I... I won't disappoint you." He promised.

"I know you won't. Now go." She told him, letting him go.

He went. She sighed and went to get into the van again.

"You sent him... to kill his wife? Orphan his daughter? Viv... why?" Catalina asked her, shaking a little.

Ivy leaned over and kissed her again and she relaxed against her. "I told you: I protect the green. Sometimes I have to do things like that, but it's for a good reason. To make the world a better place, a place with less death, less destruction, less... rot. More beauty. To give this planet a real future again--one where it's still alive, one where it's vibrant with -life- again.That couple is just… fertilizer." She told and winced a little as she started up the van. She despised that she had to use an automobile, truly she did.

"But, that little girl..." Lina snuggled up to her again.

"I'll... Look, I'll find out what happens to her, okay Catalina? I promise, I'll, I'll make sure she's okay. For you, I'll do that for you. I promise." She repeated it. She signed to herself internally for having said that, but she'd always hated to see Lina sad. Just hated it... She was sitting on part of the other woman's grappling wire, she realized a little uncomfortably. She really was going to have to get Lina to tell her all about this whole 'Tarantula' thing, truly. She was so curious about it.

...She could just break her promise of course, about the girl, but she didn't want to. She'd already lied to Lina once already, badly so. She didn't want to again, not if she could help it. So she took out her cell phone and called Hailey's girlfriend, Selena, and asked her if she'd do a job for her in a few days. Look in on someone, discreetly, for her. Selena agreed easily enough. Ivy sighed as she hung up the phone. She wished she didn't like Selena quite so much. She really did want to hate her.

As she drove down the road though, she found her mind drifting back to whether she should take Catalina as a lover or not. She still wanted too, the thought of her alone in a bed without someone to comfort her just wouldn't do. Lina had just lost a lover, after all; anyone with a heart could tell she was damaged and feeling vulnerable. She deserved companionship and love in her life. Everyone, or well, not everyone obviously, but Lina at least deserved that. But still, she resolved not to make love with her until after she'd freed Silver so Silver could choose whether she wanted that or not. Because Silver -would- choose to stay with her, she was somehow strangely sure of it. Or, well, maybe she just couldn't face the possibility that it wouldn't turn out like that. Because she seriously was more than a little afraid of what her own reaction might be if that happened, if Silver rejected her. She couldn't quite tell what she would do, but she could tell it for what it was: a dark hungry shadow in her soul that she didn't want to ever face up to.

\--- CATALINA ---

It was a... strange sort of feeling, Lina considered, to suddenly be so... in love with someone that you'd do... anything, absolutely anything they asked you to do. It made her shiver to think about it. She snuggled up closer to Viv in the car as she drove. Just under the speed limit, Lina absently noticed. To avoid any possibility of traffic police. Smart. She also thought it might be to save gas; that would be typical Viv alright. She probably hated having to use this van at all with a fiery passion. Lina let herself remember Viv as she had been. Vivian Isley; her college roommate that had had such a crush on her back then. She felt really foolish now for not taking her up on it then--she honestly couldn't remember what she'd been thinking exactly. She remembered the facts: That she'd been with a boy she'd liked. That her parents wouldn't have approved. That she'd only thought of Viv as a friend... That it had never been the same between them after she'd turned her down. Lina wondered: Was it her own fault? If she'd said yes, could she have stopped Viv from turning into Gotham-Metro's infamous Green Eyes Killer? And why didn't it bother her more that Viv was a serial killer? If Viv asked her to kill someone for her, would she? Yes. She realized, she'd do it... Happily, she'd do it. To make her happy. Viv had killed Ricky, but... wouldn't she herself have killed Ricky if Viv asked her to? If he was still alive? Yes, she would; she shivered again at the realization. "I'd do anything for you... I just... realized. I would... I'd kill Ricky for you. If... if he was still alive, I don't... I don't think I'd even feel bad about it. Is that... is it normal? You, I mean, you made me like this. Is it normal I'd do that so easily?" Lina asked softly, feeling like she should be feeling intensely guilty right now. She didn't feel that way though, she just felt... content, even peaceful.

"...Mostly yes; but the intensity depends on the person, I think." Viv explained softly, squeezing her hand a little, but keeping her eyes on the road. "As much as I've been able to tell, the affect my kiss has is to inspire... devotion I suppose you'd say. It doesn't make you attracted to me sexually, or make you love me necessarily. If I told you to kill someone, in theory, you might be able to stop yourself if you strongly, very strongly didn't believe it was... just, or, well, for another reason you believed very strongly in. Most people, however, don't have feelings that are so strong about something like that. Most people, most humans, well, killing's not nearly so objectionable to them as they might want to think." She explained. "If it were, they wouldn't murder and torture other living beings, flora and fauna, quite often even other humans, on such a massive scale with such abject cruelty and lack of care... If you don't care about killing as much as you thought Lina, it doesn't make you horrible, it just makes you human..."

Lina smiled to herself. "I must be kind of messed up then. Because I am in love you, I do want you... sexually, very badly... and, I think, I'm almost... looking forward... to... I want you to tell me what to do, even if it's to kill someone. It feels... right... being with you. Like... it's just right, to help you in your cause... You're so beautiful, Viv; how could anything you do be wrong? It's like you, I think you saved me, didn't you?" She spoke.

"Yes." Viv smiled. "I think I must have. And... thank you. It feels so good, that you believe in me... my Lina." Viv glanced to her and their eyes met for just a half a second and it sent a thrill though Lina. Of anticipation.

"I want to be your lover." Lina found herself saying. "I can tell, you want that too..."

Viv smiled. "I've always wanted that." She admitted. "Since I met you. I still... I still dream about you sometimes... but I can't be your lover just yet. I already have one. And we're... going through something. I need to wait for her, I want her to be okay with taking you into our bed as well." Viv answered honestly.

"You already... have..." Lina tried to reconcile this, but it just made her sad, made her shake.

"Would you be alright with that? Really alright with it? Sharing me with another woman?" Viv asked curiously.

"Yes." Lina found herself saying immediately without a second thought. "Yes, anything! I just... I want to be close to you. To please you... and..."

"And what?" Viv asked softly.

"I don't... I don't think I... I don't want to be alone, that's all I was..." She sighed. "Maybe... I could sleep on the floor if you wanted? I could, you know, be in the same room. Protect you? And her of course?" She offered hopefully. She felt a little ashamed for offering that, but she knew she'd do it, do anything at all that Ivy would let her, just for the opportunity to be close to her... The feeling left her feeling kind of lost, and made her want to hold onto the connection she felt to Ivy all the more strongly--she felt like it was all she had left anymore.

Ivy seemed to consider that. "As... cute as that sounds, it also sounds a little demeaning, don't you think?" She replied.

"I wouldn't mind. I promise." Lina pledged, grasping at straws.

"...We have a couple; the grounds woman and one of the maids, Nina and Shelley. They're beautiful, nice in bed... You can stay with them for now if you want? Or, um, I guess, if you prefer, Gustav and Raul?" She offered.

"Huh?" Lina asked. Two men? She remembered Raul; he was in the back, and very attractive she recalled. She licked her lips a little and considered. She'd never been with a woman before. And suddenly she wanted to badly. She could practice for Viv at least. And somehow the idea of having two women as her lovers was seeming very arousing to her now. Very. Not that the two men didn't sound good too, but... "Oh, um, Nina and Shelley sound... very okay to me." She chose.

"...Tell me the truth Lina: Did you really love me back, back then? Was it fear, or... were you really just straight?" Ivy asked.

Lina was quiet for a few moments considering that. "...I don't know. I know I... I know I loved you, as a... as a friend at least, and it hurt that we stopped being close. But... I love you so much now, it's hard to feel or remember feeling another way. It... feels like I've always loved you; even before we met... It feels like I'll love you forever." She admitted. It frightened her, but made her feel good too. Her feelings were confused on one hand, hard to place, but clear like a diamond on the other hand.

"Do you think, if I'd kept trying, I could have... won you?" Ivy asked.

"Yes. I mean... fuck, I hope so." Lina answered. Her instincts were telling her to climb on Viv's lap and kiss her, make love to her, even though she knew they were driving and that would cause them to crash. But her instincts were telling her much more strongly not to, that it would hurt Viv, and it would be disobeying her. She just wanted Viv to tell her to take her clothes off and make love to her. She wanted Viv, or someone, to fuck her brains out, that's what she wanted. She wanted not to have thoughts in her head anymore, just for a while at least. "I feels like I'm going a little insane..." She admitted softly.

Ivy looked to her in concern, then touched her lips with her thump. "Sleep, Catalina, sleep for me..." She told her. "Dream of happy things, my love."

"I... yes... yes, Viv." She answered, snuggling up to her and closing her eyes, finding it disturbingly easy to fall asleep with Viv's order in her mind. 'Dream of happy things, my love...'

\--- SILVER ---

"Alright, Mary June, dear. We're here." Silver told, stroking the sixty-something's face a little and smiling to her.

"Why... thank you darlin'... I'm really, very grateful for your help. I'm sure, I, that is..." She shook her head. "It ain't right, the thoughts I'm havin' about you; but darlin', those eyes a'yours, a girl could just... get lost in'm, she... didn't watch er'self... Even an' old girl like me..." The flustered and flummoxed Mrs. Marsy looked away. "Sorry, ah don't know what's come over me all'a sudden; is it warm in here?"

"Maybe a little." Silver answered patently, internally just wanting this to be over so she could get back to Ivy. She hadn't really thought Mrs. Marsy would end up being quite so taken with her under the influence of Ivy's formula; it must be she'd been repressing some feelings about the fairer sex her whole life. That made her feel a little sorry for her actually. "So, why don't you go head on inside, get a little fresh air on your way to the lobby?"

"Right, yeah, that sounds like a plan." She replied, actually blushing a little as she looked up at Silver and shook her head and sighed. "...If I were only a young woman again..." She started to say, then smiled. "I must've drunk more than I thought... or maybe that damn terrorist fella blowin' himself to high heaven for God only knows what done wrung my bell good."

Silver smiled. "It's alright; I get that sort of thing a lot actually." She confessed confidentially. "So you're in good company."

Mary June smiled appreciatively. "I used to turn heads in my younger days too, you know. But darlin', I think you're in a class by yourself." She told. "But, you're right; I better be going, yeah?"

"Yeah." Silver answered. "And don't worry. I'm sure your husband will show up sooner or later. That mess back there, it was best to just get away from it and let it get sorted out... but, I'll stop by here at your hotel tomorrow, just to make sure you're alright and everything."

Mary June smiled to her and patted her hand as she let Gustav help her from the limo. "Why thank you very kindly, Silver St. Cloud." She replied. "You're far too good a person for this sad old crazy world of ours, I think... but you have yourself a nice night, ya hear? Stay safe." They were parked up front by the hotel the Marsys' had been staying at and a doorman was starting to head their way to see if they needed any assistance.

"You too, Mary June. Sleep well." She waved her off and then sat back in her seat and sighed. "Well, that's done." She spoke thankfully, pressing the intercom. "Nina? How are you feeling?" She asked. Nina had been sitting up front with Gustav; Silver not having wanted her injury to be something Mrs. Marsy might remember. The more anonymous and unmemorable you were for something like this, the better, Ivy had taught her. Take as few chances as you could without putting the plan at risk.

"I'm doing better, Ms. Silver, thanks. My head's cleared up, so I think I'll be fine." Nina replied.

"That may not be so true." Gustav cut in as he sat back down behind the wheel and started the car. "I'm worried she may have a small concussion."

"I don't think... Well, maybe I do I guess. Is there a way to tell that?" Nina asked.

"If there is, I do not know. Apologies, Ms." Gustav answered.

"I'm fairly certain we'd need someone with medical training to find that out." Silver assessed, thinking the problem through. "Listen; take us away to someplace less public then stop for a moment so Nina can get out and come back to sit with me. I'll watch over her and make sure she stays awake." That, at least, was common knowledge about treating a possible concussion. "You shouldn't have to while you're driving, Gustav."

"Very thoughtful, Ms., thank you." Gustav replied, pulling out into traffic.

A few minutes later, they'd parked again and Nina climbed back into the back with her. "Here, sit by me."

"Thanks." Nina answered appreciatively, flushing a little as she snuggled in next to her.

"Of course." Silver replied, touching her bangs a little so they didn't fall over her face. Gustav started the car again and they were soon on their way home. "So, talk to me Nina; tell me something." Silver asked.

"What would you like to know?" Nina asked back.

"Oh, I don't know. Anything you want to talk about I guess." Silver provided.

"Humm..." Nina considered, then smiled and laughed a little. "Oh, I know. How about that time. You know; when we all were in bed together, the four of us? Not long after Ivy came to live with you and she hired me?"

Silver smiled, flushing green at remembering. "What about it?" She smiled.

"How come we never did that again?" Nina asked.

"Hmm?" Silver hadn't thought about that, actually.

"Well, I mean, I've wondered about it sometimes. I mean, I... Did Ivy just think we were bad in bed or something?" She asked a little helplessly.

Silver laughed. "I can't believe you just asked me that." She sighed. "Well, but I suppose this is one topic you're not likely to fall asleep talking about, is it?" She smiled playfully.

"So, what was it then?" Nina asked.

Silver smiled happily to herself. "I don't know, honestly; I never asked her about it... I guess, maybe she just... wanted me to herself? I know it had been fairly commonplace for her to have multiple lovers at the same time, in her past; but I'm certain she hasn't been with anyone else but me since our night with you and Shelley... So, I suppose it must just be that we fell in love."

"Really?" Nina asked.

"Mm, it must be. She just... wanted me all to herself." She replied softly. "Fuck, I really want to bed her right now..." She moaned. "Since my... changes, that's all I really ever want, actually. I think I kind of like being like this though, you know? Just one really good thing on my mind... It's so simple. Just her for me, that's it."

"Mmmnnn.... So romantic." Nina sighed.

"Do you like to make love to Shelley outside?" Silver asked. "I mean, she's a grounds keeper; she must like nature and everything?" She asked further, trying to keep the conversation going.

Nina smiled. "We have a few times, sure. You?"

"As much as I can get. Especially now, I wish..." She sighed. "I wish I could just lay out on the grass in the bright mid-day sun with her naked and make love to her until it's night... Maybe sleep under the stars even." She spoke, sighing again happily at the thought. "Fuck, I kind've hope Ivy changes her mind about... No, never mind." Silver corrected. Secretly finding herself wishing that Ivy would just give up her idea of setting her free and just leave things like they were now. It just seemed so incredibly perfect now... Ivy loved her and she felt closer to her than ever; like, even now, she could feel Ivy in her skin, in her heart, and even in her head somehow. And even what they were doing with the Marsys and what that would lead too, even though it meant they couldn't be together as much as Silver would wish, it felt good to help Ivy with her work, to do good. She smiled, thinking of all those evil people dead soon. The world, the green would be safer and Ivy would be happy, and that felt so right to her now. Humans... she realized, she didn't even feel like she was really one of them anymore. She felt closer to plants, even grass or weeds, and especially Ivy. Ivy was the only one like her in the world--a race of two. Ivy was the only one she felt really loyal to. Even someone like Nina, Silver cared for her kind of, because she was her and Ivy's, she belonged to them, like... a pet... but if Nina was ever a threat to Ivy, even by accident, Silver would kill her. She might not be happy about it in Nina's case, but she wouldn't hesitate to do it; wouldn't think it was wrong.

"Silver?" Nina asked.

"Yes?" Silver replied.

"I'm, really happy that you and Ivy are so in love, but... I kind of wish you wanted company again; you know, in bed." She confessed softly.

"You and Shelley, I mean, she's... um... not enough for you?" Silver asked, surprised.

"Huh? Oh, no, it's not that; I love Shelley, so much... I... it's just Ivy, and now you; it's like, I just can't help it, Shelley either... Like Mrs. Marsy said... just, you know, so you know, we'd do anything for you, just ask..." Nina told, touching Silver's face and looking almost worshipfully into her eyes... "So amazing..." She spoke, closing her eyes.

Silver looked down at her and then shook her a little. "Hey..." She spoke, smiling a little affectionately at how Nina had just snuggled up to her and started to fall asleep. "Stay awake, that's an order Nina." She bent over and gave her a soft, chaste kiss.

"What was that for?" Nina asked, smiling a little like she'd just gotten a really great gift.

"That's for being so cute." Silver told, suddenly feeling strongly protective of Nina and a little guilty for thinking about the possibility of having to kill her just now. "I'll... maybe I'll ask Ivy about the other thing too." Silver bit her lip and felt her heart speed up a little; she licked her lips a bit, and realized she had a desire to take Nina's clothes off and pin her to the seat and make love to her. And she wanted Ivy to watch her do it, maybe. Then for Ivy to just take her and... "Ivy, fuck, I need you..." Silver spoke, feeling her body just humming with desires now. She kept flexing her hands, like she wanted to touch, needed to touch, and suddenly it was almost all she could think about. "Ivy, nnhhnn..." She arched her body a little. "Where are you? I need you to love me..." She pleaded, feeling flush.

"Silver?" Nina asked, a little worry in her voice.

Silver looked at Nina and felt it intensely. Nina was Ivy's... If she made love to her, it would be like touching Ivy in a way... Maybe that would be enough to make her feel better about Ivy not being here with her? "You, um... Fuck it..." She whined a little at trying to think this through and then decided not to bother and just do what felt right and kissed Nina, fully, pushing her back onto the seat. She smiled as she stopped and moved down to Nina's neck, ripping her clothes off to get to her breasts. "Yes... I... umm, wait, I..." Silver withdrew and held her head. "Maybe I shouldn't do this..." She pulled out the phone and dialed Ivy's number.

"Silver?" A confused and still light headed Nina groaned and got up, snuggling back up to her employer.

"Silver? What is it?" Ivy's voice came back to her and Silver felt herself instantly feel better.

"I... I'm on the way home, and I feel... like it's been too long since I've been with you... So I want be with Nina, since she's here and she's cute and yours, um, so it's like being close to you... Is that okay?" She asked softly.

The line was quiet "Ivy? ...I..."

"No... no, uh, yeah... Go ahead, I just want you to be happy..." She heard Ivy's soft voice say. "See you soon... love you..." And the phone went dead.

Silver looked at the phone and smiled to herself. "She's so... nice to me..." She started kissing Nina, her mind going pleasantly blank as she did. She got on the other woman's lap and tore off the rest of her dress, slipping her hand into her panties and liking the feeling of the woman under her gasping into her mouth. "Fuck me too, please Nina..." Silver breathed, hiking up her dress and guiding Nina's hand to her sex.

"Yes... oh, Silver, yes..." Nina smiled to her.

Silver moaned and kissed her again, cupping the back of her head and moving herself against the other woman's body; thinking of Ivy, imagining Ivy was watching her... The image in her mind was so good, she was soon crying out her release, and so was Nina. "Again?" Silver breathed happily, wanting more.

"Um, can I just, take care of you? I'm..." Nina started to say.

"Shh, so cute; yeah, take me Nina, however you want..." Silver offered.

Nina smiled, laying Silver back on the seat and sliding over her, starting to kiss her neck and then pulling her dress away and suckling on her nipples. "Mmmnn, yes..." Silver felt herself relax. This wasn't as good as having Ivy, but it was so, so, so, so much better than sitting in a car with cute, pretty Nina and not touching...

Nina's fingers were inside her again soon--stroking her, rocking her; and then Nina was at her neck, licking and nipping at her as she ground her body into hers and brought her to release.

They lay there a while and Silver held the woman over her.

"Here; sit up, Nina..." Silver instructed. Nina complied, and Silver got on the floor and spread Nina's legs a little wider, starting to lick at her inner thighs first.

Nina bit her lip and sighed, looking up at the ceiling. "Wow..." Was all she spoke; a cute, happy smile on her lips. She was feeling bliss.

Silver, for her part, was feeling strangely blurry inside her mind; thoughts just weren't there. She just knew this felt good, and she knew she wanted to be with Ivy again. That thought was just so strong in her now; it was starting to make her feel a little crazy...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(to be continued)


	5. Not What It Seems

PART 5: NOT WHAT IT SEEMS

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

\--- IVY ---

Ivy had just been pulling in at home when she'd gotten Silver's call. She hadn't had to detour to a hotel on the other side of town and babysit Mrs. Marsy, so she'd gotten home first. She got out of the truck and felt like hitting someone. Causing pain. The image of Nina sprung into her head and she momentarily thought of strangling the other woman to death, just to make herself feel better; but thinking about that only made her feel kind of sick and disgusted with herself, so when she came around the other side of the van and saw Lina getting down, she came over to her on impulse and backed her against the van and kissed her fiercely. The kiss lasted and lasted and Lina was a very eager participant.

Soon though, Ivy stopped and bit her bottom lip and moaned/whined to herself a little. She'd liked that a little too much, she thought. But not really because of who she'd been kissing (though that had been a part of it, obviously), but because of who Silver was probably kissing. It made her feel hollow and alone inside. She looked up at Lina who was watching her uncertainly, her hands on Ivy's hips. "Would you go, find Shelley, and fuck her until she can't talk coherently for me? Would you do that Catalina?" She asked, feeling a little better for doing it, even though she knew it was very petty of her.

"Um... okay...?" Lina agreed. "Later though, can we... do that again? Maybe... more?" Lina asked after the kiss, her eyes hungry.

Ivy forced a smile. "Yeah... maybe..." She conceded, then turned and walked away. "Raul?" She called, and saw her maid getting out of the back of the truck with Mr. Marsy in his arms.

"Yes, Ms. Ivy?" Raul asked.

"I'll take him. You, show Lina around, make sure she finds her way to Shelley. Then, come back and take care of the truck, alright?" She asked.

"Yes, I will." Raul looked at her with a little of a question in his eyes that he didn't dare ask.

Which was just as well, Ivy thought. If he had asked, she'd have been tempted to hurt him. Not that she thought she would have, really, but it wouldn't have done her mood any good, so she was grateful Raul was sensitive enough to know better.

Ivy took Marsy off Raul's hands and threw him over her shoulder effortlessly and started walking towards the greenhouse. It was easy, she was naturally a good deal stronger than even a muscular regular human male like Raul as she was now. And that had been a deliberate modification to herself on her part. After all, she knew she was playing a dangerous game, and sooner or later, chances were good, she'd need more than a charming smile, a threat, and a kiss to defend herself or kill the green's enemies.

Once she was in her lab under the greenhouse, she sat Marsy on the exam table and started to work. But soon, she realized she couldn't focus and started pacing.

Before too long she grabbed a glass beaker and screamed while she threw it against a wall. She felt like her world was closing in on her and she just wanted to lash out, at whoever or whatever was there. She threw more things and screamed more; the feelings just welled up insider her until she grabbed the microscope from the table and was about to bash in Winton Marsy's head. She stopped herself before she could do it though. She reviled him for what he was, and now she hated him with a passion for being a part of the situation with Silver that she was in now. But she couldn't bring herself to kill him, not when it would hurt the green to do it by destroying the plan she'd worked so long for. The violent feelings started to pass then and she felt numb inside. She realized she was crying and wiped the tears off her face, put the microscope back on the counter, and went over to the bed where she and Silver had made love not that long ago. She sat down and drew her legs up to her chest and rocked a little, trying to get herself to stop crying.

The hurt she was feeling inside though, it was too sharp, she couldn't get past it. She felt like it was her fault somehow, for thinking about wanting Lina. She felt really stupid too, for feeling like this. For saying yes to Silver about Nina when she'd called (What had she been thinking?!). The logical part of her told her that this wasn't a big deal, that it wasn't like Silver was actually even cheating on her... She'd called and asked after all, hadn't she? Silver wasn't doing anything wrong, was she?

Emotionally though, part of her still wanted to kill Nina with her bare hands, but mostly she just wanted the pain to stop somehow. For it not to be true; for Silver to come home and say she'd changed her mind, hadn't followed through, and it was all a mistake...

She found herself thinking about Lina then, and Hailey. Lina had turned her down and Hailey had broken up with her because she hadn't been faithful to her, even though Ivy hadn't tried to hide that she had been, had been as honest about it as Silver was being now. Both of them had hurt her greatly, and it felt like it was happening again. Maybe... maybe this was even how she'd made Hailey feel back then... If it was, she was now very sorry for it. She wanted to imagine it wasn't happening; that maybe, maybe she could have all of them back? Maybe she could just... make them all change their minds. The idea of having all three of them fawning over her and telling her how much they loved her, how sorry they were, how they'd never leave her again, even if it wasn't real... The fantasy felt hollow and foolish though, so she stopped thinking about it and just let herself cry. It was all she really felt able to do at the moment.

Sometime later, Ivy found herself curled up in a ball in the corner of the bed, just trying not to think of anything at all, when she heard the sound of the door to the lab being opened and someone walking down. She got up on her knees, hands on the bed, looking at the door where Silver walked in with a dead man in her arms. She took one look in Silver's eyes though, and knew her lover had been with another woman and she turned away, fresh tears falling. She lay back in bed and curled up in a ball again, trying not to think.

"Ivy?" Silver's voice, full of concern and love shot through her and she tried to remain numb. She heard a thud, a body hitting the floor, soft footfalls as Silver crossed the room and was next to her, climbing over her, wiping tears from her eyes. "Oh, what's wrong, my love?" She asked softly.

Ivy met her eyes and moved at her, capturing her lips in a fierce kiss. The connection was still there, as strong as ever, but she pushed Silver away roughly anyway, pinning her on her back, holding her by her wrists, she looked down into her eyes. "If you ever touch her again, I'll kill her, do you understand, Silver? I'll kill her!" She told, more tears falling. She looked down and saw Silver was crying too, this lost look in her eyes. And then, as she looked on, her lover passed out. "Silver? Silver!? I'm sorry, I... I don't, I scared you, I'm sorry love, I'm sorry." She caressed her cheek and kissed her lips, feeling panic well up inside her. She shook her lover's body. "Wake up, wake up!" She demanded.

"She... she won't wake up, not unless I let her." A soft male voice explained.

Ivy spun around and saw Derick Grayson getting up from the ground and dusting himself off. "How the fuck..." She shook her head, getting up out of her and Silver's bed to face him. "I don't know how you're doing this, Grayson, but..." Her voice trailed off as she saw Derick's body start to change shape to reveal a young woman who looked in her early twenties, with green skin and blonde hair. She took a step back. "Miss Martian." She realized, having seen her on television with her teammates in the Titans. Fear rushed through her. A Martian... invulnerable, fantastically strong and powerful, able to fly, telepathy, telekinesis, energy beams she could fire from her eyes that could burn through nearly anything, invisibility, and shape changing... Ivy knew, if this woman wanted to hurt her, kill her, there wouldn't be anything she could do to stop her. She was at Miss Martian's mercy. Her only chance was to talk to her, or to seduce her. And it was impossible to say if her... seductions, would even have an effect on an alien being.

"Yes, that's me... and to answer your mind's question, I don't know either..." She held her head. "But, I think they already might be." She looked into Ivy's eyes a little shyly. "It was because of my... my influence I guess, that she, Silver, and your maid made love." She confessed softly. "Her connection to you, the connection you both have to this planet's bio-field... the green, you call it. You may not know, but it's... it's pretty overwhelming for a telepath." She admitted. "I tried to see if I could free her from your... control... but, with her, it's not control really. It's... like you're a part of each other... You're just the dominant one... and she wants you to be. Easy to see why... The green, it just flows through you, loves you like you love it, no reservations; it's so, it's like a glow about you... You're so... so, beautiful... and you believe so much, want to protect this world so much; it consumes you almost, doesn't it? Such sadness, such death, this world is dying, isn't it? Suffering..."

Ivy started to approach her, and was tentatively pleased to see no hint of aggression from the woman. "So, you won't try to stop me then? You can... you can tell, I'm doing the right thing? You... want to be my friend?" She asked softly.

"I... I'm not sure... yet, but I know I couldn't hurt you; I think I love you in fact..." Miss Martian looked deeper into Ivy's eyes and Ivy could somehow feel her inside her mind. "Wow, it's like..." She shook her head and leaned back on the table where Marsy was still lying unconscious. "Like roots growing in my mind..."

Ivy used that moment to move forwards and capture the woman's lips in an ardent kiss. Miss Martian backed away and broke the kiss. "No, I, mm... Artemis..." She bit her lip, but let Ivy caress her cheek and touch her blonde hair. Somehow, Ivy just knew it was the color it was because that's the color Artemis's hair had been. Somehow, Ivy knew, Miss Martian... M'gann... that she touched her hair just like that, whenever she wanted to feel better.

"It's all right M'gann, I know you loved her very much, and that's never not going to be true... but, she's gone now, and you don't have to be alone..." She stroked her face and M'gann closed her eyes and brought her hand to Ivy's, stepping closer to her and letting Ivy hold her. "Just let me in. Bond with me, like you bonded with her. ~Everything I am, I offer you freely.~" She spoke the words in Martian, already having learned so much about this woman. It was amazing, the feeling of connection that was growing between them, just touching. It felt like it was with Silver; that innate connection, it was just there, appeared in her mind like a flash... Only, with this, she wasn't automatically the dominant one. "I'm here for you."

"Mmm... How is it possible I want this with you... so fast..." M'gann looked into her eyes and moved to her, Ivy met her and they kissed. Just stepping close, holding each other. Ivy felt M'gann shift her clothes back into her skin. "~Everything I am, I offer you in return.~" She promised back softly, kissing her.

Ivy just kissed her back as she felt everything M'gann was open up to her, felt how alone this woman had been when she was a girl. A peaceful, joyous spirit among a race of aggressive, often cruel, warlike conquerors.--hunters really. When all M'gann had wanted was for someone to... to love her. She'd ran away and been adopted by a green Martian family, taken on a green Martian's shape, only to lose that new family when that race was taken by the fire plague. She'd ran away then, the mental screams of pain and death overwhelming her. She'd hidden away in a cave and come back only when the screams had stopped. She'd found only ashes. She'd stayed alone then, half convinced she was cursed or something, then she'd felt Cay'an A'hara, returned to Mars from Earth to morn her dead people, feeling lost and so deeply sad, casting her mind out in the vain hope that someone might hear her. She went to her, convinced she'd want to know she wasn't alone. And she'd found a family again, as distant as Cay'an could be a lot of the time. They'd gone back to Earth to live. M'gann had found a love in a human girl named Artemis Nguyen, and Cay'an had left her; M'gann still didn't know where she'd went or why she'd gone. But she'd had Artemis, and she'd met J'ann J'onzz, yet another Martian survivor, so it hadn't been so bad. She and Artemis were together for nearly two years after that, shared so much. But then... Cosmic King, Lightning Lord, Saturn Queen. Criminals from a far-off future, they'd fled back in time; with their superior technology, they'd tried to corrupt the world, make it theirs. Saturn Queen had Power Woman and Huntress under her thrall, Supergirl was their prisoner, the city had been in chaos. She, J'ann, Kal, Artemis, and a few others were fighting them. Saturn Queen--M'gann had pressed her and she'd lashed out and killed Artemis, using it as a, as a distraction, to attack M'gann. The attack had hurt M'gann badly, and she'd blacked out. When she'd woken, J'ann told her that they'd captured Cosmic King and Lightning Lord, but that Saturn Queen had gotten away. M'gann had gone off on her own, the hunter in her having finally awoken from some long buried species memory. She'd found the woman and killed her savagely. She'd found a way to get to Cosmic King and Lighting Lord in prison and killed Cosmic King. Lightning Lord escaped, but she'd hunted him down too, killed him. She'd never told anyone what she'd done, and she'd been very careful so no one knew; she just carried it by herself. Hadn't let anyone get close to her really since then. Oh, she'd played the part, took comfort in having her friends nearby, kept playing the hero, but really, it was mostly so she wouldn't feel so alone. When the reality was, she'd been quietly slipping into despair. She'd killed twice since then, and even though a part of her hated herself for that, she'd remember seeing her lover die and when she came across someone so dark and cruel as the ones who'd been responsible for her death, she couldn't live with herself without stopping them before they could do to someone else what had been done to Artemis and herself. Still though, in her heart, all M'gann wanted was to have Artemis back and to take her somewhere where they'd be safe and to never let anyone hurt her again. Even though she knew she'd never have her wish granted, M'gann still couldn't get past wishing for it very hard every night and every day. Ivy found herself crying at this. "It's okay... beautiful soul, in such an unkind world..." She spoke softly. "...You do the right thing you know. Some people..."

"Don't deserve life." M'gann finished for her a little bitterly.

"But you do deserve a life, M'gann. A life... of joy, full of only good things..." Ivy told, emotion thick in her voice.

"So do you." M'gann countered, kissing her again and picking them up with her telekinesis and floating them over to the bed where Silver had been watching them from after she'd awoken.

\--- SILVER ---

"You're both inside me..." Silver spoke as Ivy and M'gann joined her in the bed of plants in the corner, and they were. She'd felt it when Ivy kissed M'gann, knew why she was doing it, knew... everything about both of them... somehow. It didn't really seem to matter to her that much though, not even all the things M'gann went through. Maybe it should, but it didn't. "I'm sorry Ivy, I'm so sorry I made you cry." She spoke softly, tears running down her cheeks. "Everything was so messed up in my head..." She moved closer and hugged Ivy. "I'm trying hard not to be angry at M'gann for doing that to me. Even if it was an accident." She told, and she knew Ivy could hear the anger in her voice, feel the tension in her body.

Ivy kissed her then and the tension faded away. "It wasn't your fault, and it wasn't hers, alright?" Ivy told her softly.

"Hmm..." Silver hummed. "Alright." Her feelings about what M'gann had done just seemed to melt away, and the only thing that mattered to her was that she and Ivy were touching again. Then Silver felt it. "You... you love her too? M'gann..." She looked over at M'gann and felt Ivy's feelings towards this woman and M'gann's feelings about Ivy in return. Felt that M'gann wanted them... both... wanted not to be alone anymore. And Silver couldn't seem to help but making Ivy's love for this woman her own. Now that she felt secure again in Ivy's love for her, she didn't mind this new experience. She thought about it as M'gann moved closer to her and the idea of having another lover, another love, it wasn't bad at all. And just like that, it slipped into place for her too. That innate connection she had with Ivy, she had it with M'gann now too. But it wasn't the same, she wasn't in love, at lest not yet. She left like she could love this woman though, almost did in fact. She moved forwards and met M'gann for a kiss, and felt Ivy's fear and joy at this. Ivy was... scared. She was taking a risk. Opening herself up to M'gann like this; it was hard for her, even though with M'gann's telepathy, it was easier than anything in a practical sense--emotionally, Silver could tell, she was just managing to hold herself together. She looked into M'gann's eyes and they reached an understanding between them. Silver went to Ivy and brought their lips together in a kiss, snuggling close to her. Ivy held her back. M'gann came around back of Ivy and brushed aside her hair, kissing her neck and nipping at her ear. She focused all of her feelings on Ivy, telling her she was safe and that she would always love her, that this wouldn't change anything between them, that what happened with Nina wouldn't change anything. That nothing would. That she was hers forever.

She felt Ivy relax and feel more secure in herself again. And they both turned on M'gann then, laying her on her back. Silver kissed her lips, Ivy her neck, then they switched. They'd decided to make her the center of their attention now and Silver felt why. They were... marrying her, weren't they? Becoming... becoming her mates. This was how Martians did that, in bed, sharing everything, saying those words. "~Everything I am, I offer you, both of you~" Silver spoke the words in M'gann's language. Realizing she was okay with doing that now, okay with falling in love with this woman now, even if it did feel really fast. Ivy wanted it, that's what was important.

"~Everything I am, I offer you in return.~" M'gann spoke the words to her in return as she had to Ivy. Silver could feel the turmoil in her, but it was overruled by joy in not being alone, in having found... a family again, who could and would accept her for who she was. And Silver found she really could accept this woman, that she was genuinely starting to like her, not just love her even. She felt them slipping into one another, seeing life from those perspectives. She felt what it had been like to love Artemis, to touch her, intertwine souls with her, and... and she felt what it had been like to tear her murderers apart with her bare hands--the dark, primal satisfaction in had given M'gann, but also the hole in her heart it had left.

"~Everything I am, I offer....~" Ivy started to say to her from the other side of M'gann. But then Ivy sat up and hugged herself. "I can't do this now." She spoke softly, looking back at the two of them. "I need to free you of me, Silver, I need to." She got off the bed and walked to the counter, careful to avoid the glass on the floor from her earlier temper-storm.

"Ivy..." Silver started to cry and M'gann held her.

"It's... it's all right, Silver." M'gann reassured her gently.

Silver hugged herself to this woman she'd only just met and let herself cry. "I'm sorry..." Silver spoke softly as she cried.

Ivy came back to the bed, getting in with them again, reaching out to touch Silver's cheek. "Silver..."

Silver looked to her and saw tears in Ivy's eyes as well.

"Ivy... she very much, she very much doesn't want to be free of you." M'gann told softly.

Silver could feel M'gann trying to understand better what was between her and Ivy. She herself didn't understand it much better, she supposed; she just knew she wanted to stay like she was now.

"I... I know she doesn't. I've known she doesn't." Ivy admitted aloud. "But, it doesn't... I can't live like this anymore." She implored softly. "It hurts too much."

Silver found herself momentarily feeling anger and frustration with Ivy, but it faded quickly and she took her wrists and pulled her forward, all but throwing her down in the bed and getting on top of her, kissing her. Ivy let her and Silver kept kissing her. "I'm yours, it should be enough..." She insisted, feeling desperate, grasping for Ivy and biting her skin. "Love me." She demanded.

"I do..." Ivy promised, pushing her away and getting out of bed quickly, tears running down her cheeks. "But... fuck!" She cursed, throwing that stupid microscope across the room. She turned and looked at M'gann. Their eyes met.

"It brings up strong emotions, doing what we tried to do." M'gann explained. "It... is a momentous thing."

Ivy smiled a little ruefully. "And you still want to... to marry me? Marry us?" She asked.

M'gann looked down at her hands then back up to Ivy's eyes. "More than ever." She admitted. "I'm no less damaged, probably a lot more so. And... it feels like home with you two. A new home, one I... I never expected, but, I want to make it work. I can't have Artemis, no matter how much I want her back, I know. I know I have to move on. That I'll... I'll probably drive myself mad if I don't. And I want to help you, Ivy. In your life's work. I want... to make a world where Artemis would have been safe. Where, where our children would have been safe." She spoke softly. "She wanted to have children with me." She confessed a truth aloud that she'd never told to anyone else.

"You can do that?" Ivy asked. "Without even using the Starr Corp thing?" She asked.

"She's a Martian." Silver answered. "We can get her pregnant if she wants, or she can get us pregnant. She just has to change the right cells in her body to be compatible with us, or change her own biology enough to combine with our genetic material and catalyze it. Or even just alter her sexual organs to male ones if she wanted. Easy if she knows how, and she does know. Right?"

"Right... Artemis had you do that last thing, didn't she? Changing your... sexual organs? But... you didn't like it, did you?" Ivy asked, realizing she did know that, and a lot more about M'gann.

M'gann shook her head. "Not really. But... she was bisexual, and... it made her happy. Her being happy matters... mattered more to me." She looked embarrassed.

Ivy shook her head a little. "Well, you won't have to worry about that with me at least." She assured, honestly a little repulsed by the idea of a beautiful woman feeling she needed to change herself like that to please a lover; though she did find it sweet that M'gann would do that to make her lover happy even if M'gann herself didn't want to. She wondered if, after Silver was free of her, if she herself would go that far for Silver to make her happy if it came to that; well, if she were a Martian. Silver had been bisexual before Ivy had come into her life after all. Not a pleasant thought. Moving on though. "Right, um, so anyway..." She looked into Silver's eyes, Silver was smiling a little playfully at her after sensing what Ivy had just been thinking, and Ivy just shook her head a little again; Silver sending the thought to her that she wouldn't want her to change anything about her, which made Ivy feel better. "...I know you're scared." Ivy spoke to her. "But... I believe in you. I believe in us, lover. I know it might be hard, but..."

"But you have to know, know if I really do love you, don't you?" Silver answered, wrapping her arms around her legs and lowering her head. "...What if I don't?" She asked softly.

She could feel the bleak hurt of those words on Ivy through the bond they both shared.

"See? Just... just saying the words, it hurts you so much. I can't... I can't even... the idea that I could hurt you more than that... If... if M'gann weren't... weren't doing what she's doing for us, I don't think I could have even said those words to you out of terror of what it would make you feel." She told.

"Silver..." Ivy spoke.

"No. No! I wasn't a good person, Ivy!" She looked into Ivy's eyes with anger. Not at Ivy, but at herself. "Maybe I thought I was, but I was... I wasn't worthy of you; I wasted my life. I could have done so much good, but I was selfish, I didn't really -see- what was happening in the world... but, but you chose me anyway. Because, you know, because I was useful. I was just lucky you happened to fall in love with me. But I like being useful to you, and I like... I like being your love slave. I like not having a choice in loving you, not having to... to make the decisions. I like your decisions quite well, Ivy--except this one. I... I'm who you made of me, Ivy. And I like that person. I like her a lot better than I like who I was." She admitted softly.

Ivy turned away a moment and Silver could tell she was trying to process this. Silver just waited, and then, head bowed, Ivy turned and started walking towards her. She climbed up on the bed, sat in her lap, straddling her, and then their eyes met and Silver just froze, and Ivy kissed her. Softly, reverently, again and again, then stopped. She smiled to her then, touched her face. "It's not true, you know. Look inside me, like you can now. That's... you were useful, you -are- useful, that's true, but... that didn't mean I had to make you my lover; didn't mean I had to fall in love with you. That... that happened, because when you smile at me, when I look into your eyes... it's just... it fills my heart with just... complete joy..." She confessed softly, obviously struggling a little for the right words; she kissed her gently and stroked her hair. Silver was spellbound. "That's not something I made of you, my love... It was there, the first time we met... the first time we danced... the first time we made love... It's here now. So... just believe you'll love me, and you will, okay? Always. And, um, it's not like you can't still do everything I say once you have more of a choice about it if you want. I could... I could live with that." Ivy smiled playfully to her and Silver felt her heart full to bursting.

"...Are you sure we can't be making love right now?" Silver asked, running her hands down Ivy's sides, over her thighs, and back. "You can do whatever you want with me, after?"

M'gann touched both of them softly with her hands and they looked to her, she was smiling softly. "Be together now." She offered softly, touching Ivy's hair and then Silver's, biting her lip a little. "You two are so beautiful together. And... I have to go take care of something... so we can be safe."

Ivy looked into her eyes and nodded. "I'll..." She looked to Silver. "We'll be here for you." She looked back to M'gann's eyes. "When you get back."

On impulse, Silver moved to kiss her. "We... we love you, M'gann." She promised it from her heart.

"I..." M'gann turned and got out of the bed. "I can't believe I'm saying this. That it happened so..." She observed, pausing but not looking back at them. "But I love you both too... Maybe not like I loved her, but all the same I... do love you... Thank you for that..." She told them softly, floating away and turning invisible, disappearing into the air.

Silver turned back to Ivy and their eyes met.

"Consider me your slave." Ivy offered softly. "Just tell me what you want, I'll do it."

Silver smiled softly. "See? You make really... really great decisions, lover." She kissed her forcefully, moving them to the side and pushing Ivy to the bed gently, getting on top of her and starting to kiss her. "Just let me fuck you... Then fuck me back, okay? I just want to fuck..." She confessed, kissing her fiercely, possessively. She was feeling a little wild, and more than a little unsteady. M'gann's influence on them both was just this thing there with them, changing things between them somehow. Silver couldn't say just how; but it felt new, and different. But also so deliciously the same. She was still Ivy's, and she would be for sure for only just a little while longer; and so the only thought in her now was how desperate she was to make that little while longer last for everything she could make of it. Which meant being as close to Ivy as physically possible and making love with her for just as long as Ivy would let her.

She brought one hand to one of Ivy's full, firm, and oh-how-she loved to touch breasts, her other hand on the back of Ivy's head as she slid against her, pressing her thigh into Ivy's sex. Ivy's hands were one tangled in her hair, the other on her back. She ground her own sex on Ivy's thigh and let out a breath, looking down into Ivy's eyes and treasuring the feelings of complete trust and love she felt for her lover, and loving so much the feelings she saw reflected back in Ivy's eyes. Despite what Silver had said, Ivy had never treated her like a love slave; or, if she had, only in the best sense of the words. What Ivy had done was just to love her; be her attentive, caring, perfect, devastatingly beautiful and sexy lover. Someone who listened to her, treasured her. And she could be so romantic and sweet too. And the love-making? Silver had felt things with Ivy she'd never felt before; Ivy just put herself into it so much, and paid so much attention to her--what she liked, what she wanted, needed... All she'd had to do was just... be Ivy's; or, like now, claim Ivy for her own. And either way that wasn't hard, because Silver honestly couldn't imagine anything she wanted more, anything it was even -possible- to want more. So she kissed her with all the passion, longing, and love she had to offer; sliding her hand down between them to Ivy's sex, playing her fingers over her clit flirtingly, then slipping her fingers inside. Ivy just held her to her as they moved together and kissed, their motions in perfect harmony; she slid her sex on Ivy's thigh, starting to thrust her fingers, rocking Ivy against her, then grinding her thumb into Ivy's clit and touching her inside just so as she thrust, bringing Ivy to orgasm under her and feeling herself climax at the same time.

As the waves of pleasure calmed, she kissed Ivy's neck and nipped a little at her ear, snuggling up to her as much as she could and sighing. "I love you so much... When you said what you said to me before... I think I can believe in that enough, believe in us enough, in myself enough to tell you... I want... I want you to go through with it. Free me. I want to give you... I want to give you a me that's worthy of you. I want you to have my heart, my everything, and know... know for certain that it's real..."

"...Thank you..." Ivy kissed her. "I love you so much, you have... you have no idea what I'd do for you... no idea..." She promised.

"...I know you'll fuck me now, if I ask you too..." She answered, whispering softly into Ivy's ear and stoking her hair, their bodies pressed as close together as possible. "Fuck me, Ivy... Show me... Show me how much... how much you love me..." She asked of her.

Ivy gently pushed her shoulder then, and Silver moved back as indicated. Ivy looked into her eyes and smiled softly. "Whatever you want, lover..." And then she kissed her, sliding her hands over Silver's body. Silver moved as close to her lover as she could and thrilled at the sensation of being kissed like this. Ivy was... if there was someone better at kissing in the world... Silver just couldn't imagine it that there even could be someone better at kissing in the world than Ivy... She moaned as she was lain on her back. The only vague, momentary thought in her head was how lucky she was, but that thought faded as Ivy's mouth found one of her nipples and took possession of it in the most exquisite of ways. Past that, she was completely just... in the moment... and in that moment, the one thing she knew, was that she belonged to Ivy; in body, in mind, in her heart and soul, and she never ever wanted not to...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(to be continued)


	6. A Mysterious Intoxication

PART 6: A MYSTERIOUS INTOXICATION

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

\--- M'GANN ---

M'gann's thoughts were troubled. She felt kind of guilty about what she was about to do. She felt Ivy and Silver making love in the background of her consciousness though and the feeling of it did make her feel better, more centered (though it was taking an effort to keep it in the background and not let the feelings overtake her). The two of them, what they had, it was so much like what she'd had with Artemis. It was a rocky and dangerous path she was setting out on now. Taking this chance. But really, she'd mostly just been going through the motions lately, only truly feeling alive when she was by herself and immersed in Artemis's memory, or... or when she hunted people like those who'd killed her. The rest... she'd only pretend like she was halfway okay because she was so afraid of the idea of being left alone again. But now... now there was love again. Somehow, some way, she'd found that feeling again. Found a place where she felt known and accepted. It wouldn't... it wouldn't be like what she'd had with Artemis. But she didn't want that again, didn't want anyone to fill that place in her heart again, because for her, Artemis would always be there. Always.

What was troubling her most though, was wondering if her lover would have been, she didn't know, proud of her? If Artemis would have wanted her to do what she was doing... betray the people they'd thought of as friends. But then, M'gann thought, those people hadn't saved her, had they? If they'd gone after Saturn Queen and her allies with lethal force right from the start, Artemis would be with her today. Ivy was so right, some people just didn't deserve to live. And they -should- be killed, so that people like her lover would be able to live the kind of life that Ivy wanted to give them. Where they lived in a paradise, in harmony with the living, vibrant green all around them that she could feel inside her now. Ivy and Silver needed to be protected, and the green had to be protected or nearly every living thing on Earth would die in a few hundred years and she would be left on another barren planet by herself. Which was just about the worst things she could imagine happening. So she wouldn't let anyone hurt or stop the women she'd started to love, not even her friends. Their cause was her cause now too, and she had to be true to that, even though the cost might be higher than she'd like it to be.

Derick, Jean-Paul, and Talia were on the property now. She sensed them with her telepathy as clear as a bell. Lilhy and Tim were in an armored van nearby. They'd found Catalina. She could sense Derick almost... panic? That was a surprise.

Derick Grayson wasn't usually one to feel panic.

\--- CATALINA ---

(A while before)

This was the room Raul had told her would be hers. She was leading Shelley Lanning, the groundskeeper, inside by the hand. She and Raul had found her in the arboretum, tending to roses. 'Ivy said I should find you and fuck you, make love to you until you can't talk coherently... for her.' she'd told her flirtingly. Shelley had looked her over, obviously found her very attractive, smiled, and replied that that was more than fine with her, anything for Ivy and all. They'd kissed then, and Lina had told that her new room was close. 'What about Nina? I'm, she's my girlfriend.' Shelley had replied. Lina had told her that Ivy had told her earlier that she could have them both for lovers, that Nina could join them when they got back. Shelley had thought that very reasonable apparently, because here she was letting Lina throw her on a bed. Lina was on top of her in an instant, getting the woman's clothes off, Shelley smiling and laughing a little as she tried to get Lina's clothes off too, without much success.

Lina just had on a button up shirt and some shorts that Raul had got for her from out of Ivy and Silver's things, so she wouldn't have to walk around in her Tarantula outfit. She wasn't wearing any underwear, so she quickly shucked her shirt and undid shorts, getting out of them with some bother and then going back at Shelley with fire in her heart. She couldn't explain it, but Ivy's words were driving her on, and the more she looked at Shelley, touched her silky-smooth skin, felt her sleek, athletic body move and respond to her, the more she kissed her, the more she wanted this, wanted her. It was an altogether alien feeling for her, to want another woman like this, in such a real way that she could act on. She'd wanted Ivy from the second they'd kissed behind the benefit hall by the get-away van, wanted her so much, and the feelings had just gotten worse, or better depending on how you looked at it, since, but Ivy hadn't... hadn't wanted her to do this to her, not yet at least, and now she got to touch someone who's body was like Ivy's, like her own and she wondered why she hadn't done this before. Why she'd been attracted to men and not women? She knew she wasn't attracted to men now. Maybe she would be again if Ivy told her to be, but she wasn't now. Now she was fucking Shelley. "Fuck, this is so hot..." She spoke, kissing her and then smiling to her.

"No argument." Shelley answered, obviously smiling as she exhaled a delighted almost laughing sound and held onto her while Lina kissed her neck and fondled one of her breasts. Shelley's hands raked over her back and Lina claimed her lips again in a dominating kiss that just went on and on. Lina was having real trouble -not- kissing this woman in fact. She brought her hand down and into Shelley's panties, finding her sex hot, wet, and ready for her. She slid her fingers in and started to fuck her. She felt a little clumsy at it, but Shelley didn't seem to mind, so she kept going, rocking her, making her moan and cry out in sounds of bliss. She could tell Shelley liked this, being dominated like this. Lina smiled to herself, feeling a sense of fulfillment. She liked dominating this woman, giving her pleasure, and seeing, hearing, feeling it in the woman under her. It had never been like this with a man before, she realized. She... she'd been kind of selfish about it with the men she'd been with, just wanting to feel good, feel loved, desired. Oh, she could kind of remember loving Derick at least, he was just so good for her, made her so happy with that smile of his and the way he looked at her, but in bed, she had to be honest and admit that she hadn't really cared about giving him pleasure like she found herself caring about Shelley, and she knew nothing about her except she belonged to Ivy just like her; well, that and she was the groundskeeper, which was why she smelt of upturned dirt, tree bark, and green things. Lina found she liked the scent very much.

Soon, Shelley had cried out her release and was slipping her fingers into Lina's sex. Lina rode those fingers under her until she climaxed. They kissed. "I want to fuck you again, and I'm going to..." Lina told softly to her new lover. She loved the feel of her skin against hers, the warmth, softness, the strength of her (she obviously kept in really good shape)--but more than that, it was a feeling of connection, one that just made her want to curl up with this woman and hold her close, love her, be loved...

She felt Shelley shiver. "Do whatever you want." She offered, kissing her. "I'm yours." She pledged softly.

The words shivered through Lina and made her claim Shelley's lips in a rough kiss.

A half-hour or so later, Nina came in looking for her girlfriend. She and Shelley were just kind of kissing, both tired in a good way, for the moment at least. "Shelley?" Nina's voice spoke. Shelley broke off their kiss.

"Nina?" She looked and saw Nina had a black eye, was hurt. She scrambled out of bed and went to her. "Oh, baby, what happened? Are you alright?"

Lina got up and sat on her knees by the edge of the bed. "Is she okay?" She asked in concern.

"Yeah, I'm okay." Nina replied a little tiredly. "Just a concussion. Small one. That Grayson guy, you know, Nightwing, he attacked me. Silver killed him to save me." She smiled softly. "Silver told you're supposed to make sure I don't fall asleep until Ivy has a chance to look at me. Who's this?" She asked, looking at Lina with obvious interest. "You're new." She smiled to her.

"I'm Catalina. Lina if you want." Lina smiled softly to her, feeling guilty somehow. Ricky had attacked Shelley's girlfriend? It made her angry and protective. It made her feel... happy... that this Silver had killed him. That was a weird feeling.

"Ivy said she could, um, have us." Shelley explained, looking to her. "But now that you're back, I think maybe it's our turn to have her a little?"

"Mm, best homecoming present ever." Nina replied happily.

"You did say we were supposed to keep you awake." Shelley answered.

Lina smiled, feeling her energy level increase by a lot. Suddenly Ricky or being angry at him or conflicted about her memories of him didn't seem to matter at all. "Mmmnnn..." She got out of bed and came over to them, interestedly starting to unbutton Nina's shirt as she kissed her. "I think I'm in heaven." She observed as she and Shelley took Nina's shirt off together. She just wished she could be kissing Ivy right now, then it really would be heaven. She was willing to share; Silver, Nina, Shelley could all be there for all she cared. That might be really hot, actually, now that she thought of it. They could all... love Ivy together. Part of her reeled a little and got a little light-headed at thinking that, but it was like something had opened up inside her, a side of herself she hadn't let herself think about before.

She picked Nina up by her butt and brought her to the bed, Shelley coming along and moving to get Nina out of her shoes, socks, slacks, and panties, Lina taking off her bra, kissing her, Nina burying her fingers in Lina's hair. She rolled Nina on top of her, making sure to be gentile because she was hurt. She brought her fingers down to Nina's sex and slid them in, feeling Shelley settle herself between her legs. Lina thrilled to the feeling of Shelley's tongue inside her, licking just so, her hot breath on her--oral sex with women, she was really starting to love it. She and Nina continued to kiss until they couldn't stand it anymore and they just held each other as their breathing became heavier and they came; Lina, then, a second later, Nina.

Shelley got up beside them in bed and stroked their hair.

"Today is turning out so great for me... First Silver making love with me in the limo, now this..." Nina smiled blissfully. "Maybe I should get a concussion more often." She mused.

"You and Silver? Really?" Shelley asked. "Wow... you think that means she and Ivy might have a four way with us again? Or, a five way?" She asked, looking down at Nina and stroking her hair with clear affection.

"That would be so awesome..." Nina replied blissfully.

Lina smiled. "You two are just like me about Ivy, huh? I just... I think about being with her all the time now."

"I know, right?" Nina answered, biting her lip.

"It's kinda torture." Shelley agreed. "She's like... a goddess..."

"Completely like that..." Nina agreed.

"She said maybe to me, when she sent me to Shelley I mean, that maybe she'd be with me later..." Lina offered.

"Silver said she'd ask her about the foursome in the car. Maybe it's really going to happen, the five of us?" Nina spoke dreamily.

"We should definitely practice for that." Shelley prompted, kissing her girlfriend. "Five at once would require more coordination after all, right?"

"Mmm, you read my mind..." Lina and Shelley kissed, then Lina and Nina. Lina then moved down to get between Nina's legs. She wondered idly to herself about what Ivy had said to her, about how her influence didn't mean you would necessarily fall in love with her. But, both Nina and Shelley had too, not just her, or at least it seemed like they had. Though, obviously Gustav and Raul hadn't, they were just protective. Also gay. Who knew? Maybe they loved her too, just not romantically? But still, all three of them... she mentally smiled to herself. Well, it wasn't that much of a mystery. Like Shelley had said, Ivy was like a goddess or something. Her voice, her eyes, her smile, her body, the way she moved, her scent, everything... It was like beauty and desire had a daughter and that was Ivy... Fuck but she wanted her, even while she was giving another woman oral sex... It was like she was obsessed... though, she had to admit, Shelley and Nina were turning out to be amazing as far as distractions went... She could see herself happy with them if Ivy never... she tried not to think about if Ivy never. I was way too depressing a thought.

Some fifteen minutes later, Lina was laying on one side of Nina, Shelley on the other, both of them fawning over her, chatting playfully, caressing her, giving her occasional kisses. She was hurt after all, they both felt the need to take care of her. And Nina was tired too. More love making wouldn't help that, but cuddling, talking, and flirting would. They were talking about how Nina and Shelley had met, actually. Shelley had been Silver's groundskeeper for more than a year, and Nina had been her girlfriend almost all that time. Nina had been an aspiring artist who painted landscapes and flowers, and Silver had liked her stuff, invited her over for a party so she could network with her rich friends, get her name out there. She hadn't made many real connections that night with Silver's friends though, she'd been too busy having sex with the cute groundkeeper she'd happened to meet. When Ivy moved in, Nina moved in and became the 'maid'--she was actually more of a general assistant than anything, although she still painted. Lots of her work was hung around the house, both Ivy and Silver liked the paintings very much apparently. Lina was very impressed; she'd seen the paintings too, they were completely beautiful.

Nina yawned and Lina nipped at her ear. "Stop that, sexy painter woman. No yawns allowed." She admonished teasingly, running a hand over Nina's thigh and making Nina produce a sound of delight. Shelley was just kissing her when the door opened and Derick Grayson walked in, followed by Talia Head and Jean-Paul Valley.

"...Lina?" Derick asked, stopping a little ways from the door, the other two entering the room to either side of him and coming around closer.

Jean-Paul, Azrael really (there was a major difference), had his sword drawn and was looking out the windows while keeping an eye on them. "Heathen behavior..." He muttered, causing Lina to prickle at the words, anger coming over her. Who even -had- backwards views like that anymore? Shit-mouthed jack-ass throw-back cultist. She'd -never- liked him, or Lilhy really.

She looked at Talia who was just watching them with a sort of disinterested curiosity. Her eyes were sharp like diamonds though, with so many emotions reflected in them, none directed at her or her new lovers thankfully.

Then she looked at Ricky, her Ricky, who was apparently... not dead after all. She glanced at the nightstand. She'd put a knife there when she'd changed out of her Tarantula gear when Raul had first shown her to her room. A gun was in the nightstand’s drawer and thus less accessible. She slowly sat up in bed. "Um, hi Ricky... So, um, you're not dead? I thought, um, thought you were dead." She stalled, gauging the situation. It was weird. She was on one level ridiculously happy to see him alive, but on another level, she knew she had to kill him and the others if she could. Ivy had wanted him dead after all, clearly or she wouldn't have had him killed, or tried to apparently. And even if that weren't true, they were a threat to her, obviously, and she knew she had to stop them--even if it meant losing her life in trying. She had to play it smart though, it would be stupid just to throw her chance away going up against these three with just a knife, if she could even reach it in time... However it played out though, she still hoped she wouldn't have to kill Ricky, that maybe she could just knock him out so that maybe Ivy could make him hers and they could be together again or something. It seemed like wishful thinking, because she knew she'd kill him without hesitation if it was the surest way to protect Ivy, and because she really didn't like her odds. She just hoped Ivy knew the intruders were here somehow and would be able to handle them... She knew though, even if she only managed to kill one, it would make Ivy's odds better; so it would be worth it, even if it cost her own life.

"That, uh..." Ricky shook his head.

How was he even alive anyway? Catalina wondered. She wished she hadn't defended Ivy, defended Viv to him so much and gone off to confront her on her own without finding out what his plans had been--now she was in the dark about it all. He'd obviously played some sort of con though.

"I think, what Derick wants to know, Catalina, is what, exactly, you're doing sleeping with two attractive women in my fiance's murderer's house?" Talia clarified. "Brainwashing, yes?" She proffered.

"No, that is..." She looked around the room, pretending to be scared and confused. And where the fuck did she get off lecturing her about something like that? Her and that Lilhy woman were obviously lovers. She'd have disliked Talia even more... if she wasn't also attracted to her, now that she'd uncovered her inner lesbian, or bisexual or whatever, apparently. It didn't matter anyway though, Ivy was who was important. "Ricky, what's going on?" She asked. "She said you were dead."

Derick pinched the bridge of his nose. "Damn it..." He shook his head. "Look, we'll get you help for this, whatever this is that's been done to you. (Please let something have been done to you.) Right now though, you need to tell me: Where's Vivian Isley, Catalina?"

She narrowed her eyes at him a little, then threw a pillow at Talia's face, making for the knife. Talia was on her in a second though, wrestling her to the ground and holding her there, the knife from the nightstand at Lina's throat. "I never much cared for you, Catalina--something not quite right in those eyes of yours. That's to say, you don't want to get between me and what I want right now. Where is the murderer, Catalina? Now!" She commanded.

Lina was still. "She's, uh, down the hallway; third door on the left." She gave her the directions to Raul and Gustav's room, thinking that might at least slow them down in the event Talia even believed her. Her face being shoved at the floor and the bloody nose that followed told her Talia did not, in fact, believe her.

"The truth, puppet! Where do your stings lead?" Talia demanded.

The knife was back. "Please, I can't do anything against her--I'd die first. Don't kill me for that?" She pleaded, hoping sympathy would work somehow. Alive, at least she'd have a slim chance at helping Ivy.

Talia made a frustrated noise and pulled her up, tossing her on the bed before the scared Nina and Shelley. "It's no use. You deal with her Grayson, I'm taking Jean-Paul and finding..." But her words trailed off and she just kind of stopped.

Miss Marian faded into view then behind Derick, who was also frozen in place... So that's how Derick had done the coming back from the dead thing, Lina realized at seeing her. What was happening though?

\--- M'GANN ---

It had taken her only around thirty seconds to make her way to this scene from leaving Silver and Ivy, but her mind could work very quickly too. Talia and Derick were hers, as were Lilhy and Tim in the van outside--it was a little scary to her how easy it was to do. It really made it strike home just how much more powerful than humans she was. She had always known that she could do this, even to people who'd been her friends, she'd just... never actually thought of doing something like this to her friends before. What was most scary though, was that the growing predator inside her... liked what she was doing. Liked how easy it was. And it -was- easy, for those four. Jean-Paul on the other hand? She was trying, but she'd had to shed her invisibility to focus her efforts on him. There was something blocking her from inside him, or from around him.

'The mind witch, she betrays us!' M'gann heard the words in Jean-Paul's head. 'We must strike her down, slay her before she slays us all!' The voice told him. It was... another presence, another being, inside Jean-Paul! And it didn't have a mind that she could match wavelengths to, so it was immune to her, and it's presence was causing enough interference around Jean-Paul's mind so that she was mostly only able to listen in. The presence wouldn't even allow for her to talk to the mind of the man it was possessing.

"Traitor! Foul betrayer!" Jean-Paul cried in a booming voice that sent shivers through her as he broke free of her restraint charged her, sword raised to strike.

"A ghost lives in you--you should fight it Jean-Paul. It seeks justice, but it's filled with hate--it poisons you." She told as she held him back with a renewed wave of her telekinesis. Somehow though, he was fighting through it, her words not doing any good either apparently. The ghost inside him was using some kind of... magic.

"Death to the witch!" He raged, breaking through her telekinetic hold again.

She caught his arm easily as he made to strike, squeezed his wrist with enough pressure to break rock--he cried out in pain and dropped the sword, then she tossed him across the room to land in the corner. "My mind may not be able to reach you, Jean-Paul, but you still don't have a chance against me." She warned him softly, glancing at Catalina who was holding a knife in his direction, crouched on the bed in front of Nina and Shelley to protect them. M'gann smiled a little at that.

"M'gann, why are you doing this?" Derick asked, having struggled through her control of him enough to speak while she'd been distracted with Azrael. She clamped down on him again, not wanting distractions, then refocused on Jean-Paul who was getting up, a flaming bade shooting out from his unbroken gauntlet.

He laughed a little like a lunatic. "And the righteous shall be delivered, but unto the wicked? Damnation!" He charged her, the flames actually worrying M'gann a little. In was her one real weakness, flames.

She blasted him with as powerful a telekinetic bolt as she could, mostly out of reflex to keep the flames away, then directed Nightwing and Talia to subdue him. They struggled with him, it looked for a moment like they might win out over him, but he threw them off with a surge of fevered strength and charged at her. "Your death will bring them freedom, demon! Parish in flames!"

He fought through her telekinesis almost like it wasn't there, and she prepared herself to meet his attack. She didn't really think he had much of a chance, but she knew with that flame that burned with magic, he could hurt her badly if she wasn't careful. Practically, she knew she could just burn him with her eyes, but somehow, she didn't want to kill him if she could help it. She didn't know him very well, but she felt compassion for him. He was a lost soul, like her, and he didn't deserve the life this ghost was compelling him to live.

As it happened though, the choice was taken from her hands as Jean-Paul was struck down before he got to her; Catalina had taken his dropped sword and jumped at him from behind, driving the sword through his back into his heart. She stood over him, breathing hard and looked at her, smiling a little shyly to her. "Hi." She greeted, forgetting the sword and the man she'd killed and walking over to her.

M'gann watched her, looked into her mind. Catalina had killed him because he was a threat to her, to Ivy, and to her two lovers; that was all there was to it for her. She was like Silver, entangled by Ivy, tied to her through roots in her mind; just not so thoroughly as was Silver. In her case, and for Nina and Shelley, it was more simple; not so very deeply intertwined as Silver was (her and Ivy's bond was one of the most intense she'd ever felt, even by Martian standards). Though Nina and Shelley were quite a bit more deeply entangled than Lina, seemingly because they'd been with Ivy much longer and the roots in their minds had had time to grow deeper... M'gann guessed that for Nina and Shelley, the change had become much more permanent--that they'd probably stay devoted to Ivy for the rest of their lives, even if Ivy abandoned them. It gave her insight into how Ivy's seduction actually worked in a mind. She still didn't understand it entirely, but... she shivered a little, responding to Lina a little like Ivy would. They hadn't shared everything of themselves yet, but M'gann still had a lot of Ivy in her now. And that she was attracted to this woman, like she knew her very well, was one thing that came through fairly clearly. Then the memories came, of the two of them in college together. And she smiled. "Hi Lina."

"Who are you?" Lina asked softly, bringing a hand up to stroke M'gann's cheek gently.

"My name is M'gann, I'm a new... friend. Of Ivy and Silver's." She explained, touching Lina's face as Lina was hers.

"You feel so much like her, you know? Like Ivy... it's confusing, but... in a nice way. Can I kiss you? Please?" Lina asked.

M'gann smiled softly. "How about I kiss you?" And she moved forwards and did just that, moving her body so they were up against one another, their arms holding one another, they kissed for minutes on end. "Thanks for protecting me." She spoke.

"Any time..." Lina replied, a little dazed and feeling blissful. "Wow... I'd do anything for you, you know that, right?" She offered. "I love you." She pledged a little reverently, kissing her lips chastely. "Can I be your lover, even just sometimes?" She asked hopefully.

"Us too?" Nina offered.

"Just say the word. We'll do whatever you want." Shelley offered, the two of them having gravitated over to her also, touching her reverently as well.

M'gann smiled to them, feeling very flattered and warm and fuzzy about all this. "Wow, um, that's really... really nice of you." She answered. She realized then what it was though, that she'd changed her body to be like Ivy's was; she was obviously giving off the same, or very similar, signals to them as being around Ivy would send to them, and the split (and thus more intense) signals of, what must feel like to them as two Ivys, even if one wasn't here, was making them feel, well... happy. It was obvious they were all very attracted to Ivy, and not just because of the connection to her they had. Their feelings for her were genuine as far as she could tell. Which still wasn't all that far, truthfully. The green was so much... bigger than her, and it was such a new thing to her (kind of like if she were a very good singer asked to sing in a different language; in other words she needed time and practice), and it's energies flowed through all of this. Ivy made those energies dance for her, or, more accurately, those energies danced for her because they... loved her. She could feel it from all the plants in the area--they all bloomed brighter, coexisted more harmoniously, felt more joy and hope, just because Ivy was near. To a plant, Ivy was apparently, not unlike... a transcendently beautiful song, one that they couldn't help but be touched very deeply by. And plants, the green, it wasn't of reason or ego, it was of a way of being that responded to a 'song' like that in a way that was... unfiltered, unprejudiced... Ivy was beautiful to them, gave them joy and peace and love--that's all that mattered to them, all they knew that -could- matter.

"I'll be anything you want me to be." Lina offered softly, laying her head on M'gann's shoulder and snuggling up to her happily. M'gann held her back, Nina and Shelley touching her hair and getting as close to her as they could.

"So beautiful..." Shelley spoke.

M'gann smiled, feeling really good about this. Then she realized what she was doing. She was influencing them. Not intentionally; they just sensed that she needed comfort right now and were offering it. It was so easy to connect with them; she hadn't even needed to try, it was just right there. It took her some effort but she lessened the connection. She couldn't really sever it completely without hurting them emotionally, and herself really. Also, she didn't want to sever it, so there was that too.

"Mm? What did... what did you just do? I don't... feel you as much now." Lina spoke, looking into M'gann's eyes. "Are you... you don't like me?" She asked.

M'gann felt the hurt of that. Ivy had rejected her, now it felt to her like she was doing the same thing. "No, I love you Lina. How could I not?" M'gann reassured her softly. "I just... I didn't mean to connect so strongly; it was just... it just happened and I didn't know I was doing it until it was too late." She confessed. "Besides, I have to take care of this now, for Ivy and Silver. Love making will have to wait for now."

"I'll... we'll help you then, whatever you need." Lina promised. Nina and Shelley chimed in their agreement.

M'gann smiled. "Mm, thanks, I'll let you know." She walked over to Talia. "She's interesting, isn't she?"

Lina went to Talia and touched her face. "She -is- sexy." Lina agreed.

"Are you going to make her yours?" Nina asked.

"Uh-huh. She's going to be very useful for Ivy's plans I think." M'gann went up to her and kissed her, long and thoroughly. Talia almost immediately kissing back, holding her back. M'gann felt it as her kiss worked its way on her, just like Ivy's kiss would. She felt the process happening and paid very close attention to it. She pushed a little with her telepathy too, going in and seeing who Talia was. She was tough, had been taught to fight since she was small, had been given luxury, treated a princess. But she also felt fear, of her father--Ra's al Ghul, The Demon's Head. She also felt... weak inside. Her father had always wished she would have been a boy. She reached out for her sister, but Nyssa was hardly ever there for her. Nyssa and their father always having been enemies. She'd found love in Bruce Wayne, but it wasn't so much love as it was safety, comfort, and a desire to both please her father and protect herself from him. And she did want to have children--as far as breeding material, Bruce was undoubtedly ideal. And Bruce had been a genuinely good man, and kind to her, loving... when he showed her his attention, which was not nearly as often as she would have liked. Always his mission, just like her father. M'gann found hate there for him for that, as well as a deep and abiding hate for her father, one she had been afraid to acknowledge. He had abused her. Mostly emotionally, but he had not been above striking her when she displeased or disappointed him. So she had tried to be the good daughter, find the man her father would approve of, and that had been Bruce.

M'gann's heart broke a little for Talia. She went in and soothed all those hurts, took away the fear, nourished the strength in her, did her best to fix the broken parts--showed her the green, showed her Ivy and what she planned, whispered to her that she could be free, she could love whom she chose, live without fear. She showed Talia her own potential, and M'gann let Talia into her mind too. Not so deeply as making love would entail, but she just let her see, feel, whatever she wanted--let herself be open and vulnerable to her, trusted her, believed in her, because M'gann sensed that was what she needed. And then she sat her free, and stepped back.

Talia looked at her. There was deep surprise in her expression--in her mind, she'd been shown so much. It was almost like having lived the better part of a lifetime in but a few moments for her. Talia closed her eyes and bowed her head a little. "Thank you..." She offered softly, opening her eyes again and meeting M'gann's gaze.

"Can we be friends?" M'gann asked her.

Talia went to her and hugged her. "Always... Always." She held M'gann close.

M'gann held her back.

"Will you kill him for me? So I can truly be free? You have the power, M'gann..." Talia backed up and looked into her eyes. "I think you'd... you'd enjoy it too, wouldn't you? Killing my father for me."

M'gann looked back into her new friend's eyes. She nodded 'yes'.

"Don't be ashamed of your strength. It's not all of you; you are also very kind... and very beautiful." Talia praised.

"Um, thanks... and... I will burn him to ashes for you, and you can scatter them where you wish." M'gann offered. "Soon."

"There are things to take care of first though, yes?" Talia ventured. "I think I, I do want to join you... provisionally." She offered. "I know you would stop me should I pursue vengeance for Bruce Wayne, if I still wished to... Part of me still does; not so large a part--I did love him you know, despite what you've... changed in me... But, if I chose to have nothing to do with this though, will you prevent my leaving?" She asked.

"No; why would I?" M'gann asked.

Talia smiled. "I didn't think so." She touched M'gann's cheek. "Do you know, I... wouldn't mind it if you kissed me again." She admitted.

M'gann smiled. "I think you should have some time to think about that before... um, how about a hug instead?" She smiled to her and Talia was very charmed by it.

"I would love that." And so she hugged her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(to be continued)


	7. A Tangled Sort Of Love

PART 7: A TANGLED SORT OF LOVE

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

\--- M'GANN (continued) ---

"Now, um..." When M'gann turned around, she saw Shelley and Nina on the bed in one-anothers' arms, watching them with smiles on their faces and M'gann could tell they both thought what had happened between her and Talia was... beautiful. Lina though, was standing in front of Derick Grayson and looking into his eyes, touching his face.

"They were in love." Talia explained. "I could go fetch Lilhy and the boy from the van if you want?"

M'gann shook her head. "They're on the way already."

"You can come sit with us?" Nina offered to Talia.

Talia looked at them, then down at Jean-Paul's body. M'gann saw where Talia was looking. "I wish he hadn't... he had a very sad life, didn't he?" M'gann asked.

"He was my friend's friend; very loyal to her... Could you save his body? I would like to revive him for her, once my father has been dealt with. My... my father has Bruce, you know. My beloved will rise again. Once my... once my father deems it time." Talia explained.

M'gann looked to her, then shook her head a little, feeling a little out of it actually. "This world has so much variety in it, doesn't it? I think I like that... sometimes at least." M'gann offered. To know someone who thought of bringing a person back from the dead as common place, she could hardly wrap her mind around the oddness and seeming complete inequity of it all. Fuck, she missed Artemis so much. "Lina?" She asked.

"Yes?" Lina turned to her, going over to her. "You want me?" She asked hopefully.

"Yes, I do." She told her honestly. "Do you want him?" M'gann asked, referring to Derick.

Lina looked into her eyes. "I, um, I'd kill him for you if you wanted me to, but, um... yes, I think I'm still, I still love him." She admitted softly.

"If you could have anyone you chose for a lover, but only that person, no one else, who would you choose?" M'gann asked.

Lina looked into her eyes, clearly considering things. "You or Ivy, I can't... I can't choose." She admitted. "I love you both, so much."

"He's not even in the running?" M'gann asked gently.

"Huh? Derick? No, not even close." She smiled. "I love you so much more than him, and I love Ivy too... I'd do anything..." She told again. "Anything you want... please, love me?" She asked, touching M'gann's lips with her fingers.

"What hold you have over her..." Talia observed. Lilhy and Tim walked in then and Talia got up to go to her friend. "Lilhy, my heart..." She touched her friend's face reverently. "You have a hold of her too, not like.. not like them, but you do." She spoke softly. "Let her go? Please?" Talia asked.

Then M'gann remembered--Talia and Lilhy, they'd had an affair. They'd told no one, kept it very secret. Talia loved this woman, wanted to be with her. She'd just... she'd just been afraid. M'gann let Lilhy go.

"Talia?" Lilhy asked.

"I'm here, my love." Talia spoke softly.

Talia kissed her passionately and M'gann smiled, sitting down on the bed. Lina sat down beside her and snuggled up to her.

"You'd really just kill him if I asked? Just like that?" M'gann asked, curious and a little scared by that.

"Of course, just ask." Lina offered, cuddling up to her a little more.

Morbidly, M'gann kind of wanted to do that, just to see... just to see someone do something like that to win her... The impulse gave her chills and made her ashamed. It was something a normal white Martian would think of. It scared her. M'gann caressed Lina's face, then met her eyes and bore into her mind. She knew enough to do this. She looked deeply, sort of hid the roots in her mind from her. Saw what, who, Lina was, what she would want. And, really, it all was down to two things: She wanted to find love, and she wanted some sense of justice or fairness in the world.

M'gann offered her those things, showing her who she was, who Ivy was, but clearing her mind of much of the growing near-total devotion and desire she felt. "What do you want me to do for you?" She asked Lina softly.

"Kiss me?" Lina asked hopefully.

M'gann shook her head and let Lina go. She'd failed. She looked into Lina's eyes and they looked back into hers with a somewhat different quality. Maybe she hadn't failed completely? M'gann moved to her and kissed her, without even consciously having decided to do so. "What now?" She asked.

"Make love to me?" Lina asked softly.

And M'gann wanted to do that even more than she had before. She looked at Lina and understood what she'd done. She'd made a link between them, entwined herself with this woman, so that what Lina asked her to do, she was feeling considerably compelled to do. The roots in them both wanted to grow, not be stifled. And then she saw it, what hadn't been apparent to her before. She saw Lina, the real Lina beneath it all, and Lina was happy and at peace. It was like the plants--they just felt joy and loved Ivy just for being near. Lina felt regret, for Derick, because she did love him, but the world had opened up to her, and she realized this... was a better way to live. She wanted to be the way she was. Mostly. She had doubts, mostly about herself, worrying if there was something wrong with her for liking being the way she was, for not having been accepted by Ivy the way she wanted. She remembered Ivy from college and felt stupid now for not saying yes to her then. She hadn't understood what it would have been like. And she was starting to understand what Ivy was about, how she wanted to protect the green. M'gann kissed Lina again. "Whatever you want." She promised, deciding she might as well go with it, because, well, it felt really good.

"Mm, I love you." Lina told.

"Mmm..." M'gann moaned and tried to clear her head a little. She looked at Talia and Lilhy. Talia was smirking a little at her, Lilhy was snuggled up to her, Talia holding her protectively. "There's a room you can have together?" She offered, sensing Talia just wanted to be alone with her lover now. She mentally sent her directions to the room.

"Have fun, I suppose." Talia offered. M'gann could tell Talia still had her doubts about how right it was, how M'gann had so much power over Lina.

"Talia... I couldn't take that away very much, so I gave her power over me too. I didn't even mean to do it, she's just so tangled up with me and Ivy now..." She smiled a little helplessly. "It's the best I can do for now."

Talia just shook her head, having been sent a fuller mental explanation. "Just be careful, M'gann. I have a feeling, you might just be getting yourself into trouble you may not like later." She advised as she and Lilhy left.

M'gann looked after her and wondered about what she'd said. Then Lina kissed her and she pretty much forgot about it. "Mm-" She pulled away. "Just a second." She got up, causing Lina to moan a little in frustration and follow her.

"What is it now?" She complained.

M'gann smiled at her. "I have to send these two away to sleep." She explained, touching Nightwing and Robin on the foreheads. They turned and left. "They'll go to a room and fall asleep." She told Lina. "They won't wake up until I wake them." She explained further. "Ivy can decide what to do with them then."

"So, now?" Lina asked.

"Now, we make love... If you still want to I mean." She teased, touching Lina's cheek.

Lina kissed her hungrily. "A world of yes." She kissed her again, dragging her over to the bed and falling onto it with her. Nina and Shelley laughed happily.

"Can we join in?" Nina asked hopefully.

"Can they?" Lina asked.

"Whatever you want--I'm yours now I think." M'gann admitted, having let Lina's connection with her grow unchallenged. She now wasn't sure she -could- stop doing what Lina wanted her to even if she wanted, at least not in a way that wouldn't be harmful to both of them.

"Me too, I'm yours too." Lina answered. "We can belong to each other..."

"Us too..." Shelley offered, kissing Lina's neck.

"All yours." Nina added, playfully nipping at M'gann's ear.

"Mmm, yes... just don't stop..." She let herself become absorbed in the contact, expanded her mind so their thoughts started to flow together. Their desire for her, the connection they had, bound her like chains to them, and she was uninterested in freeing herself. She had to keep it under enough control so it didn't do damage, she reminded herself; because it could go very wrong if she let herself slip too much. It was a struggle to care though, about anything but the three women who seemed to own her right now. In the back of her mind, she registered Ivy and Silver as they fell asleep down under the greenhouse. She liked the feel of Silver and Ivy sleeping together like that; it was peaceful and beautiful. She wanted that, to fall asleep with a lover, or three as the case may be, after making love and to know you were secure, loved, had a place. She and Shelley kissed, then she and Lina kissed, and she was on her back, and she split herself partly, so she had two heads, two chests, two sets of arms and legs, back to back, then she did it a third time, so she could make love to all three at once. It was easy to multitask a task like this. She grew vines and leaves and flowers from her body and twined them around them all, the vines and roots let her separate her sub-bodies a little more freely while still staying connected. The scent of the flowers that bloomed from her was amazing, and the feel of just growing... being... it would be so easy to get lost in that...

Before long, she almost lost track of herself. Lina's fingers in one of her sex, Nina's in another, Shelley giving her oral sex, while she pleased them all, felt them, kissed them, knew them, and let them know her--no secrets, no walls. She let their desires rule her, flow over her... It felt just really, really nice. To be with someone again, to let them in, to not be alone again. It had been so long since she'd felt this... so long since Artemis... the hurt of that loss still fresh and painful. She just let herself soak in the love she was being offered, the intimacy she'd been so long denied. She was greedy for it. The unfairness of being without it, of knowing someone like she'd known Artemis and then to have her brutally ripped away. To hurt so so much from that all the time, she realized just how desperate and hungry she'd let herself become for any kind of real intimacy. And this was so... so easy... so beautiful... Their feelings for her...

She knew one thing--she never wanted to be without this again. Without acceptance, home, or most especially love. To protect that, she told herself, she would do whatever it would take. Kill, murder, hunt, betray, she would do those things gladly.

Her whole life before it happened, she told herself that she'd been right, that her people didn't have redeeming qualities. But now, so long a time later, she thought how wrong she'd been. If she had been more like her people--more ruthless, perhaps she would have been able to protect Artemis? That... that would have been worth anything. Anything at all. It was a thought she didn't like; she didn't want the world to be like that--she wanted the world to be like it was now: happy and peaceful and full of love and passion.

And so she let herself get wrapped up in her lovers now; not thinking, just being with them. She gathered them closer together and moaned as they all reached their orgasm together. One of her faces smiled happily as she felt herself become completely relaxed and at ease with her lovers. She wasn't meant to be alone, and she wouldn't let herself be that way again--she was determined on that.

\--- TALIA ---

Talia led Lilhy along by the hand to the room M'gann had showed her and closed the door behind them. "What's going on?" Lilhy asked, her hands on Talia's shoulders, her body pressed in close. Talia held onto her waist.

"I decided to switch my allegiance, I suppose." Talia explained. "M'gann; she's so powerful we couldn't do anything to oppose her, and she chose this Ivy woman over her former allegiances."

"So, there's no choice? Is that it? We're prisoners because she betrayed us?" Lilhy asked.

Talia shook her head a little. "Not prisoners. She says she'd let us go, just us, if we promised not to oppose her; and she let me see into her mind, so I believe she means it. I... don't want to go though. I agree with why she's doing this. Ivy believes in so many of the same things my father does--that the world has grown corrupt and dirty and that the green, the wild world, must be protected and restored. No matter what my father may be, what he asks of me, I have always believed his cause is just... Now, I simply... find I have another option. One that lets me have what I want most in the world."

"And... what's that?" Lilhy asked.

"You." Talia answered softly, honestly. "...It's you I've always wanted, ever since we met. No one else..." She caressed her cheek. "I have simply... been afraid to seize you, to defy my father for you. Even before, I have been partial to taking women to my bed more than men, though my father has never approved. But now... now I will see him dead, Lilhy--M'gann has promised me this--and when he is truly, permanently dead, then I will be free to be with you."

Lilhy was caught in her eyes, she could tell. "And... if we can't trust them?" She offered. "If they are as mad as your father?"

"Then... then at least I will have you. My father would never allow this. But, the Martian showed me this Ivy with her telepathy, and, more than knowing, I feel that... while she is dangerous, and has the convictions of a zealot, she also very much feels love deeply... and she is like us... gay. She wouldn't deny us our love for each other, because she loves as we do... In any case, I believe we may well be able to trust her." Talia explained.

"Jean Paul is dead." Lilhy answered, a little bitterly. "His life is worth so little to you? Even... Bruce's life?" She asked that last even more bitterly, turning away from Talia.

"My love, no..." She replied, bringing one hand to Lilhy's shoulder and stepping closer to her. "No. I... Much as it would have made me sick to do it, I would have murdered Bruce myself if it were for your sake." She told softly, bringing her other hand to Lilhy's waist and pressing her body against her back, holding her in a way that showed deep love, but not possessiveness. "His hold over me was never so much as yours will ever be." She comforted her.

"And Jean-Paul...?" She asked.

Talia paused. She knew full well how much the man meant to her lover. To her he was, something of the feeling of a son or a brother perhaps; a close friend, surely. They had fled together from the cult that had been their home, and come to her for sanctuary. "You did not see him. The madness had him at the end... I do not blame Catalina for her actions in protecting M'gann from him, tragic though it was. And, in any case, once my father has been dealt with, we may bring him back, may we not?" She coaxed.

Lilhy turned in her arms and met her eyes. "Then... I will follow this path with you." She answered, resting her head in the crook of Talia's neck.

Talia stroked her love's hair and held her close. "I love you Lilhy... More than anything in the world... I am sorry... I am sorry if I have not always been brave enough to let my actions be proof of that truth. But... but I will do so now. Lilhy, what I want most of all, is for you to be my wife. Will you..." She got down on her knees before her. "Will you marry me, Lilhy?"

Lilhy looked into her eyes. Talia met them without fear and saw Lilhy smile softly to her. "Yes Talia, yes..." She fell to her knees as well and kissed her lover with ardent love and resolve. "I will." She promised.

Talia got up and held her hand out to Lilhy, Lilhy took it and Talia led them to the bed.

\--- IVY ---

Ivy woke up later that night, around midnight, Silver snuggled up peacefully in her arms. She realized she couldn't sense M'gann at all anymore; it confused her a moment, but then she remembered half-felt, half-dreamt feelings of passion. M'gann making love... with Lina... also Nina and Shelley. She didn't quite know what she thought about that. About what happened with M'gann all together. There hadn't really been a choice of course. If she hadn't won M'gann over, everything she'd done would have been for nothing, almost certainly. She'd be in jail, maybe dead; either way, she'd have failed, and she'd have possibly never even -seen- Silver again.

The bond they'd started with M'gann, it must just not have been strong enough to last with M'gann asleep and not maintaining it, Ivy guessed. Still, the idea of marrying M'gann wasn't at all objectionable to her, she assessed, as long as she and Silver were still together. She liked the woman, and M'gann wanted to help her. Was so lonely too. So hurt. And she certainly was beautiful, inside especially. No, M'gann was about as ideal a life partner as she could imagine. A sexy blonde green-skinned woman who agreed with her principals, was a genuinely kind person, was one of the most powerful beings on the planet, and who didn't mind killing for her if she asked her? She'd be insane not to see the appeal. What was bothering her most was just the idea of sharing Silver with another person. She thought of Hailey and how Hailey'd gotten so angry with her for not feeling that way towards her. Ivy had honestly not thought it even made any sense, wanting to be with just one person. Now she understood it. She looked at Silver's sleeping face, brushed a few locks of hair from her face, felt the tug there, deep inside her, and oh how she understood it now. It was almost... primal. "Yours..." She spoke the word softly, feeling at once silly for saying it, and somber for the truth of her heart the word laid bare. She belonged with this woman--even felt that she belonged -to- her somehow, and she very much wanted Silver to be hers in return, all hers. She wanted Silver to want her, to want to give herself to her, freely. She wanted Silver to love her. All the way. Wanted Silver to want her, to claim her for her own, just as fiercely as Ivy wanted to claim Silver. To have her, have her down to the depths of her soul.

Her course crystal clear, she disentangled herself from her lover, being careful not to wake her. She was going to free Silver, right away, and do whatever she had to in order to keep Silver as her own. Marrying M'gann or not was irrelevant. If M'gann still wanted to, she'd say yes. Besides the green, Silver was what was most important to her in life, she knew that now. That it was a sure and certain fact for her. Like the green.

As she started over to the counter where she had what she needed, she looked at Marsy on the table, still unconscious. She didn't want him here for this, she decided, he was too repugnant. And the sooner she was done with him and he was back with his wife, the better, as far as her plan was concerned. She'd gotten sidetracked, before, but the plan required her full attention, didn't it? After that was done, then Silver.

She went to the central counter and put things back in order a little. Even in her fury before, she hadn't damaged anything that she'd need for this. She carefully prepared the needle, one like the kind used to administer adrenaline, brought it over to Marsy, and jammed it into his chest, injecting the contents. He made a slight, breathy moan at this; convulsing a little moments after. She went and prepared the next shots. When she got back to the table, Marsy was sweating and moaning a little, still not awake.

"Ivy?" She heard Silver's sleepy voice.

"Silver? ...Sorry about this... I didn't mean to wake you." She went over to her immediately and brought her hand up to caress Silver's face. Silver smiled happily and leaned into the touch.

"Mm... feels nice." She moved in, propped up on one hand, to kiss Ivy. Soft, sweet, lazily passionate.

Ivy kissed her back, her head swimming a little with happiness at the kiss. "Mm, now I'm glad I woke you up." She amended softly, kissing her lightly again.

"Me too." Silver agreed, snuggling up to her. "You're doing the thing, with Winton Marsy now, right? I shouldn't distract you." She assessed, moving back a little. "Can I come watch?" She asked.

Ivy smiled a little questioning. "Sure, but, um, why would you want to?" She asked.

"I just like watching you, doesn't matter what you're doing." Silver softly confessed.

Ivy smiled, very charmed by that. "Even turning a sleazy Texas oil tycoon into a walking bio-weapon, meant for mass-murder?" She asked, a little playfully.

"Only you could make that sound sexy." Silver answered back playfully.

Ivy laughed a little and got up, leading Silver by the hand. "I, um, I already gave him the first shot." She told her as she lead Silver over to the table and left her there to go retrieve the other two hypodermic needles from the table.

"He doesn't look very comfortable after that." Silver noted, her eyes on Ivy, only having glanced at Marsy. "Will he wake up?"

"Mm, probably not yet." She answered, walking over to the table; Silver had been leaning against it facing her, but she turned around so she was facing Marsy beside Ivy when Ivy came over. "I'll probably have to give him something to wake him up when the time comes." She added, administering the next shot in his arm, then turning him over and pulling down his pants, giving him the third shot in his butt. "The things I have to do sometimes." Ivy shivered a little in revulsion as she pulled his pants back up for him.

"I wish the world were a better place, so you wouldn't have to do these things..." Silver spoke, stroking Ivy's hair a little.

Ivy smiled. "I'll make it better." She answered, meeting Silver's eyes and touching her face. "We can, together. Then, maybe I'll get to live in that world with you... If I have my way, that's what will happen, in any case." She kissed Silver as though to seal this dream into being between them.

"I'll... I'll do everything I can to help you. I... I promise Ivy." She pledged, her eyes looking scared, but also conveying faith. Faith in her, Ivy realized.

Ivy kissed her again, lingering in the kiss and backing away reluctantly, biting her lip a little. "Could you, um, could you go get Gustav and Raul for me, please?" She asked softly, meeting Silver's trusting eyes. "I'll um, I'll need them to take Winton here back to his wife for us."

"Um, of course..." Silver agreed, swallowing and nodding, making to leave.

"Hurry back." Ivy asked softly.

"If I'm not still ridiculously in love with you after I'm free, I'm confessing it right now, I'll be the dumbest woman on the face of the planet." Silver told as she left.

Ivy smiled a little at that, though it did also make her feel a little scared. She looked down at Marsy and was angry with him for some reason. At Luthor too. For being there, for not just killing themselves or something, and saving her the trouble of all this. She turned Marsy over on his back again. He was motionless again, in a dead sleep, but also sweating like a pig; he smelled, badly, which was just one more dumb problem she hadn't anticipated (her test subject, an unscrupulous corporate lawyer for a chemical plant that was an egregious polluter, had been in fit shape and this hadn't happened with her). She cringed a little. She didn't envy Gustav or Raul right now. Woken up in the middle of the night to wash a fat, old, piggish man and drive him home. She made a mental note to herself to do something nice for them soon, when she had the time, to make it up to them. Maybe a weekend at a bed and breakfast or something...

In any case, they all had their work to do, didn't they? Ivy went to another counter and pulled a small, squirming mass of vines from inside the water and mud. She kissed it and took it over to Marsy. "I'm sorry about this, little one. But, try to thrive, for me? Even if the soil I give you to may not be of very good quality." She stuffed the seed plant into Marsy's mouth and held his mouth and nose closed until he convulsively swallowed. He let out a breath like a sigh. "It won't be long now, I suppose."

And soon, sure enough, his belly started to ripple and his body shudder in sleep. She leaned against the counter, watched, and waited. There was a possibility he'd wake or maybe even die, she supposed. He wasn't in very good physical shape after all, and, while the woman she'd tested this on wasn't exactly athletic either, she hadn't been fat or appreciably out of shape, other than being frail. She'd been younger too, in her early forties. She was a bit mad at herself for not taking that into account and finding a test subject that was closer to Marsy's level of poor health. If he died, it would set her plans back months, at least.

A mistake.

She shivered a little. She lived in fear of making such mistakes. Every delay, every mistake, every strategic choice to wait until the time was right, every time she thought too small, every time she couldn't figure out a better, cleverer way to accomplish something--it all meant that the green might be suffering longer or more deeply because she hadn't been good enough. She tried not to think about it very often, because she knew if she did, it might cause indecision--might lead to more mistakes, but at times like this, she couldn't help indulging that fear just a little.

By the time Silver returned with Raul and Gustav though, Marsy had settled down and was sleeping somewhat comfortably again. She went over to check on him, just to be sure, and Silver came over to her and put her hands on her waist, got close to her, and sniffed her hair a little. "I had them get dressed for driving. What now?" She asked softly.

Ivy shivered just a little and smiled, her skin heating up just a bit. "Now, um..." She swallowed. "Now I wake him up."

Silver backed up a bit and Ivy turned and went to get a little bit of something from the table, then went back and put it under Marsy's nose. He startled awake right away, a blank and bleary sort of panicked look in his eyes. In her other hand, she had one of those mace-style sprayers and she sprayed it in his face and touched his cheek, and she could see him almost immediately fall under her influence and relax from his previous state. "Where am I?" He asked, sounding a bit dreamy.

"With me; does anything else matter?" She asked gently, testing him to see how surely he was under her hold.

"Well, no, ah guess it don't at that." He answered, smiling at her like an adoring puppy. Which kind of made her stomach a little queasy, to be honest. 'Breeders', she thought. She honestly didn't understand it. It just seemed so... unnatural to her, to have a man look at her like that.

"Good. Now, you'd do anything for me? Anything at all?" She asked.

"I'd... I'd move heaven and Earth if I could, Ms., no lie." He told her. "Just name it."

"It's nothing much, really. Just a friendly favor. I just need you to go with my other friends here; they'll get you cleaned up and take you to your wife. Once you get to the hotel, I just need you to act like your normal self, like nothing's amiss, and you never met me. I need you to go to that party Lex Luthor's throwing tomorrow. Talk with him, conduct your business just like normal, casually ask him about his interests in Brazil at some point, and report everything you learn back to me later. Be your normal self, don't let on anything about me. Can you do that?" She asked him.

"Easy as pie." He answered confidently.

"Good. I knew I could count on you." She gave him her best attempt at a smile and motioned for Gustav and Raul to come over. "Silver told you everything you need to know?" She asked them.

"Yes Ms., everything will be as you say." Raul nodded.

"Good. Better get going then." She told them, and, Silver holding her hand and leaning on her shoulder, she watched as they left. She'd only told Marsy those things, to ask about Brazil and to report back, to make sure he was at ease. Luthor's businesses in Brazil were innocuous enough as far as she knew, but there had been speculation about a new manufacturing plant there and about mining rights for untouched acres of rainforest. It was one of the reasons she wanted to kill Luthor now so badly, to save that land. So, having Marsy ask about Brazil was both just something for him to do, to focus on, to keep his mind at ease; because no doubt he'd assume the question was to get some inside information to know what to invest in, to make money. When in fact, he was going there to be the equivalent of a suicide bomber. But the question was also a little to give Luthor a hint at least, to accuse him of his crimes, if in a small way, before he was put to death for them. Kind of her way of saying 'was it worth it, you murdering bastard?' before she killed him at a distance.

The idea of someone tearing up all that rainforest, killing all that precious life, just for money--it infuriated her through and through. Anyone, -anyone- who would be involved in something like that needed to be put to death for it as soon as possible. To her mind, there was just no other way to handle it. These people were unrepentant murderers who were putting everyone else in the world--plant, animal, and human--in grave danger just for the sake of their own insanely short sighted greed.

Silver stepped closer to her and hugged her, Ivy hugged her back and closed her eyes. When Ivy broke off the hug, she moved in and kissed her lover. Just an easy, intimate sort of kiss, followed by another and another. The make-out session had her feeling much better by the end, and she did have to end it--if she didn't, she'd drive herself a little mad probably. No more delaying, this was happening.

"Ready?" Ivy asked.

"...As I'll ever be." Silver smiled softly, touching Ivy's face and looking into her eyes with trust and a little worry.

Ivy left her and went over and took something out of a drawer. She brought it over to Silver and crushed it in her hand. It gave off a strong flowery/earthy sort of smell. Silver smiled, obviously enjoying the scent. Ivy smeared a little of it on Silver's lips, then kissed her. Silver kissed her back immediately. It was another long make-out session and finally Silver broke away, and looked at Ivy as though... as though she were really seeing her for the first time. Surprise, shock, confusion all played over her features.

"Silver?" Ivy asked softly.

"I..." Silver just looked at her for a long, lingering moment, then closed her eyes, shook her head, and backed away. "I need to sit down." She spoke, going over to the bed and sitting there.

Ivy just found herself kind of frozen there, watching her, willing for it to be okay. For this not to... not to hurt as badly as she knew it could. As heartbreakingly badly as she knew she'd just given Silver the power to hurt her.

Silver finally looked at her, met her eyes again. "I don't know what to say..." She admitted softly.

"Okay, um, how about... Do you still love me, Silver? Do you still want to... to be with me?" She asked.

"You made me your slave. It didn't feel like that... at all, but, I mean, really, no matter... no matter what I felt for you, that's what it was, wasn't it?" Silver asked. Not accusingly, more still a little in shock.

"I won't pretend it was right." Ivy answered honestly, taking a step towards her. "Just... necessary."

"Right..." Silver replied, looking down at her hands. "Necessary." She repeated.

"Silver, I..."

"Yes, alright? Yes." Silver told her, looking back into her eyes, a little anger there.

"Yes... what?" Ivy asked.

"Yes. Yes I still love you. And yes I still want to be with you. That's what you wanted to know, right?" Silver answered, crawling into the bed and going over to sit against the back of the bed in the shadows, her legs pulled up to her.

It was like a flower bloomed in Ivy's heart just then, and so much fear and pressure just went away. It was going to be alright. It really was. She'd have to work at it, she was sure she'd have to, but she'd made the right decision--he knew it now, for sure. Silver really was hers now, she just had to love her, be her friend, her lover--and soon, it would be even better between them than it had been.

She walked across the room and sat on the edge of the bed. "Do you want to talk about it?" She asked softly. "I'm... I'm here for you. I want this to work between us."

Silver looked up at her, their eyes met. "...I think I just need to be alone for a while..." She answered finally.

"...Um, alright. I'll... I'll be up in the greenhouse then." She told, getting up and leaving reluctantly. She stopped by the table Marsy'd been on though and put her hand on the side of the table, leaning on it a bit. "Can you... This will all turn out all right between us though, right? In the end? We'll be together?" She asked, not turning around.

Silver was silent.

Ivy started to walk out of the room, figuring that she should do what Silver asked.

"I hope we will." Ivy heard Silver's voice say softly just as she was almost out the door. Ivy turned around a little and smiled.

"I'll be up in the greenhouse." She repeated softly, feeling much better about leaving now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(to be continued)


	8. Free

PART 8: FREE

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

\--- SILVER ---

Silver heard the sound of the door closing and she felt like she could really breathe again. It was all just too much. It was insane. To just sort of, wake up, and you've been living this completely different life--only it hadn't really been up to you. One thing she was sure of though, was that she was in fact very much in love with Vivian Isley, with Ivy. She remembered everything, so clearly, and she'd been right before--she'd have to be an idiot not to love Ivy.

And she understood, really, why Ivy had... enslaved her. Like she was now, there was practically no way she couldn't understand it. She felt the green, just like Ivy must; felt it's pain and it... and how breathtaking it was, how much there was really there. There were no words to it, it was... like a song, or just... feelings; peaceful feelings, that moved slow, and felt pain fast, as parts of this vast community that lived and grew, healed and even fought in it's own way, for time, for life, there was always competition for those things. Except when Ivy was around. Maybe even except when she or Ivy was around, she considered, listening to the plants in the room; how they... loved her. They were just starting to really recognize her, but they were... the way they saw her, like she was living art, an idea, a friend, a revelation, a goddess maybe even, or demigoddess. Or the plant equivalent, because they really didn't perceive things in the same way. It was just... love. Simple, unqualified, no expectations love.

To protect that, to protect the green, she was pretty sure she'd do... a lot. She might even do worse than Ivy had, she considered that feeling in her heart. That passion, that sense of community, family, she felt for plants now. She touched the plants that made up her bed and they rose up a little to meet her. She closed her eyes and smiled. If felt so good. She crawled into the middle of the bed and curled up in a ball and lay there and smiled, just feeling everything around her through the green.

She felt Ivy up above too, she couldn't not. Ivy was like... like a star; she shined so bright and was so beautiful, make you cry just to look at her sometimes beautiful. So she just lay there looking from somewhere inside her. She could tell, Ivy knew she was there, but was apparently just happy to let her look however much she wanted.

Somehow that made Silver want to kiss her. And do other things to her; things that would feel even better... She moaned a little in dissatisfaction and got up, getting up and sitting in the edge of the bed. She soon found herself looking at the door across the room and trying to think of good reasons not to go out that door, find Ivy, and tell her everything was fine. Reasons not to just... be with her. Because she felt it, in her hands, in her heart, her lips... her everywhere. She wanted Ivy.

And what? She thought to herself. What does that make you? This woman turns you into her love slave, makes you -want- to be her love slave, makes you her, what, accomplice serial-killer? And you what, want to marry her once she lets you off the leash? What would that say about you? As a person? Of course, she knew it wasn't really like that--there was a lot more to it, but, looking at it from the outside, that's what a normal, human, person would think, wasn't it? That she had Stockholm syndrome and had fallen in love with her kidnapper.

She shivered a little to think of that. And of how she'd changed. She didn't see things the same way as a human would anymore. Like Ivy; plants, the green, they seemed... almost more real to her than the human world, than humans. Like she was more a plant than she was a person. To that part of her, it just seemed like the word slavery had no place at all in what had happened between them--like she and Ivy had simply... grown together. Like Ivy had just touched her, some part of her, and she'd given herself to her. Because she'd wanted to, on some level at least. Like... like she'd just behaved towards her like all the plants around her were reacting to her as she was now. Like Ivy had just spoken to her somewhere she didn't have a name for and that just the sound of that voice, of her voice, had made her happy, had made her fall in love...

Still, if she was part plant now, and she knew she was, she was still part human too, and that side of her, well, she kind of just wanted to slap Ivy across the face and yell at her... Then shove her to the ground and make love to her next, but there would be slapping and yelling first, she was sure of that. Only, it wasn't that strong a feeling, and she didn't really want to do that.... Well, maybe the throwing her down on the ground and making love to her part, that had potential as an idea...

She moaned a little again then, running her hands through her hair and shaking it on her head some, getting up and walking around the lab. She cut her foot on some broken glass a little and swore, going back to the bed and looking to check the damage. She was relieved, and a little surprised, to realize the damage had already healed. "Amazing..." She spoke, smiling a little to herself.

She sat down and considered it; her situation, what she was, what she wanted. Did she agree with Ivy's principals? Yes, she did, obviously. How cruel a person would she have to be not to want to protect the green around her--knowing, feeling what she now felt? It was like asking a child whether they loved their mother, or a mother her daughter. The answer was that obvious, and perhaps even more unchangeable. What about how Ivy was going about it? Being a serial killer? No, no problem there either. She had grown up in that world, knowing the type of people Ivy was targeting. She knew, in a way most people couldn't, that they wouldn't stop--not unless someone made them stop. And she really didn't have much pity for them. The idea of killing humans didn't really seem very abhorrent to her either. Full blooded humans did it to each other all the time, after all, and she wasn't one of them anymore. She was... she was of the green now, like Ivy was. And she was strong too, and connected, and, she ran her hands down the length of her body and smiled... and she felt so beautiful now. She walked over to a mirror on the other side of the room, being careful of the broken things on the floor now, and looked at herself. She mentally compared the woman in front of her with the woman she'd been before Ivy. The woman in front of her now was just... perfect. Her body felt strong and alive with energy and life, her skin felt so good, her eyes seemed more alive, she smiled and she gasped a little at the effect of just that. And, if she wasn't imagining it, she was even a little taller, her chest a little fuller, more... pert.

She thought back to her life before. She'd put on a good show... but she hadn't been happy. She'd had lovers, women and men, but... but she'd never been able to feel like she belonged with any of them--like they'd, like they'd give her anything she needed, make her happy for more than a few nights of uncomplicated intimacy. She hadn't known what she'd wanted, who she'd wanted to be. Oh she saw things, saw people really more clearly than other people ever could or would want to see them. She'd always been clever; too smart for her own good, her father had said. Still, she'd never had any ambitions in life, really. Her big fantasy was maybe meeting someone smart and clever like her, sexy, and interesting who'd sweep her off her feet--they'd go to Europe and get lost for a season. Maybe get married, if she could just find someone... someone who actually -got- her.

Ivy got her. She remembered all their talks; how they'd stay up late, lose track of the time. Ivy always seemed so... wrapped up in it, in her--the look in her eyes had been like whatever Silver said was the most important thing in the world to her at the time; like she just loved her so much, and wanted nothing more than to be there with her, even if it was just talking about nothing of any particular importance.

And the sex... She bit her lip a little. Well, not to sound shallow or anything, but with Ivy, it had been just... out of this world -amazing-.

So, she decided to forget anything else and just focus on what would make her happy, who would make her happy, and that was Ivy. Maybe even M'gann too, she smiled to herself. She was certainly interesting too. She'd had threesomes before, but... she thought of both of them in bed with her. It was a very nice thought.

\--- IVY ---

She was towards the back wall of the greenhouse, putting some of her special fertilizer on one of the rose bushes, listening to it, communing with it in a way there wasn't words in her for. She loved being here, with all of the plants in the greenhouse she'd come to know so well, become such good friends with them... She kissed one of the leaves and got up, looking around. She saw Silver walking over to her. She'd known she was coming, been able to feel it, but she'd just let her lover come to her, feeling that was somehow important now. She did walk a few steps to meet her though. Silver's hands came to her hips and Ivy brought her hands to Silver's sides. Silver smiled to her. "You've... made a decision?" Ivy asked.

Silver moved in and kissed her, their bodies moving closer to one another. "Yes, I have... I'm with you, alright? I love you, and... well, if I'm honest, I just... I can't imagine my life without you anymore, and I'm really only very slightly annoyed about that, which -is- saying something, considering everything... I want this to work between us, more than anything..." She told, looking into Ivy's eyes meaningfully. "So I'm with you." She repeated. "...All the way."

Ivy smiled, just smiled. "I'm so glad..." She spoke, tears falling from her eyes.

Silver touched her face and wiped her tears away, moving in to kiss her. "Come to bed with me?" She asked. "We... we should talk, I know, but, right now..." She stroked Ivy's hair and pressed her body closer. "I think I just... I need to be making love with you."

Ivy just smiled, a little overwhelmed by all the feelings that felt like they'd surely overtake her. "Whatever you want..." She just agreed, feeling like she'd do just about anything this woman asked her right about then, for this to really be happening and not just a dream that would fall apart on her as soon as she blinked. She did blink though, and Silver was still there.

"Come on." Silver smiled, taking Ivy's hands in hers and tugging her towards the greenhouse door.

So they walked silently, hand in hand, through the night, across the lawn, back into the house. They could both see well enough in the dark, so it wasn't a problem. It was an ability Ivy had been sure to give herself and, by extension, Silver. It was a good survival trait after all; also, it meant she didn't have to bother or confuse the plants around her with artificial lighting, and, as a bonus, it saved at least some electricity.

As they walked through the ground floor, Ivy did worry a little after what had gone on with M'gann and what she'd gone off to deal with, but, well, she trusted M'gann to take care of it, and Silver was more important than worrying over something that probably wasn't even a problem.

Silver led her up the stairs, through the hallways, to their room. Silver didn't say a word, just glancing her way sometimes, and Ivy was a little scared to break the spell of this with words if Silver didn't first.

"I need some water; want some?" Silver asked once they were in their room again.

"Okay." Ivy accepted, going over and crawling into bed; sitting, facing the bathroom where Silver went, waiting for her. She heard the water running.

Silver came back carrying two big buckets of water; she was wet head to toe also, apparently having gotten under the shower. Ivy perked up, watching her lover walk over to her; the drops of water rolling off her naked skin, glistening in the moonlight. She swallowed. Silver got up on the bed in front of her, sat one of the buckets down and poured the other over herself. "I was so thirsty..." Silver explained in a very sensual sounding voice. "Can I?" She asked, looking over at the remaining bucket.

Ivy laughed happily. "A world of yes." She got up on her knees and moved toward Silver. Silver picked up the bucket of water and poured it over her, Ivy feeling the mildly cool water drenching her. She ran her hands through her hair, over her chest, and smiled to Silver who tossed the buckets off the bed and came over to her; kissing her hungrily, pushing her back onto her back and getting on top of her. Ivy kissed her back and slid her hands over Silver's body, through her wet hair. The plants that made up their bed appreciated the water too, it made them happier, feel even more alive, which only added to the energy between them. "Mm, this feels so good..." Ivy smiled blissfully as Silver licked and kissed at her neck. The water felt great, she hadn't realized that she'd let herself get a little dehydrated during the day; so much had been happening. And the feel of her hands on Silver's slick, wet body; the feel of Silver's body sliding over hers...

She gasped as Silver slid her thigh against her sex. Silver took her wrists and held her to the bed then, kissing her neck. "Mmm, oh, lover..." Ivy spoke blissfully, causing Silver to claim her lips in a fierce, heated kiss that just seemed to last and last, one kiss after another after another.

Silver let go of one of her wrists and brought her hand down between them, sliding her fingers over Ivy's sex; lightly at first, then with more force. Ivy moaned as Silver just kept making out with her, fucking her. Soon, Silver's fingers slid inside her, her thumb teasing her clit, pressing in a little, then Silver started to thrust, their bodies sliding together in long practiced harmony.

Silver let go of her other wrist and brought Ivy's hand down between them too, guiding Ivy to her lover's sex. Ivy found it wet and waiting, so she slipped inside and played her fingers about just the way she knew Silver liked best. "Fuck yes..." Silver spoke, breaking off their kissing and collapsing her upper body on top of Ivy, starting to kiss her neck again. "Mm, more, faster..." She signed, laying her head against the side of Ivy's forehead on the bed.

Ivy's free hand was on Silver's lower back and Silver's free hand was in Ivy's hair now, on her scalp. The rhythm between them kept up until Ivy couldn't think, just feel and do and be and then she came, and Silver came on her fingers at nearly the same time, and Ivy felt free and happy. Silver collapsed completely on top of her and Ivy held her to her and just felt so good. So... secure in herself, in a way she never remembered being before. The person she loved and wanted to be with so much more than anyone else in the world; that person wanted her back, loved her back, was... was going to be hers forever--she just knew it. That feeling was just indescribably good; like something inside of her that had been so long lonely and searching and... and afraid.. was really, finally at peace and... and whole. She held onto her lover and just smiled. "I love you, I love you so very much, Silver..."

Silver moved, propped herself up a little and looked down into Ivy's eyes, searching... actually, actually trusting. Silver still trusted her somehow, that was such a gift. "I know... I know that." Silver answered softly, kissing her gently on the lips. "And it's... It makes all the difference." She told her, laying her head down and kissing Ivy's neck lazily. "I love you too." She seemed to smile. "It's crazy how much; kind of overwhelming... Like I just... I just want to hold onto you and never let you away from me..." She admitted, swallowing and kissing Ivy's skin more.

"Mmmm... This does feel so... so perfect, doesn't it?" Ivy spoke softly.

Silver smiled against her skin. "More perfect than a world without cars or dirty rich people and corporations, chemical factories, clear cutting of rain forests?" She teased a little.

Ivy smiled weakly. "...Are you asking if you're more important to me than that?" She asked, not feeling all that good about this particular conversation.

"No." Silver replied, getting up and looking into Ivy's troubled eyes again. "I know I'm not, not really. Honestly... I'm not sure I feel differently myself, now. About the green, about wanting so badly to protect it..." She admitted.

Ivy closed her eyes and then opened them. "I'd never get over it." She answered softly.

"What?" Silver asked back, curious sounding.

"Losing you... It would... It would tear something out in me, and I know... I can tell, I wouldn't get it back; not for... not for a long time at least." She admitted in that same quiet voice. "It's as if... you're just... it... for me. The place inside me..." She closed her eyes. "There's always been this dark place in me." She told her, opening her eyes again. "You're the only one who's ever been able to..."

"Light you up?" Silver asked with a little of a forced smile.

Ivy smiled back just a little. "Yes..."

Silver sighed. "...I'm not sure I want that responsibility." She admitted.

"...Responsibility?" Ivy asked.

Silver met her eyes again. "Nothing..." She answered, laying back down over Ivy, snuggling into her. "Just hold me, okay?" She asked.

"...Of course..." Ivy agreed easily, wondering a little at what Silver could have meant by what she'd said. Before, she could have just told her lover to tell her and Silver would have, now it was different. Still better, but different... She did want Silver to tell her; wanted no secrets, even little ones... but, she guessed, she'd just have to work to get to that place with Silver now, honestly. And that would be better than it had been; it was now, and, when she got to that place, it would be perfect. How much are you still mine, Silver? Ivy couldn't help but wonder. Silver... she said the right things, did the right things, looked at her the right way so Ivy knew she was being genuine with her, but... how much space was there between them now? Between their hearts? Suddenly she didn't feel quite as happy as she had before. Still happy though, just, maybe a little bit more realistic. Knowing this was just going to... take time...

"...Ivy?" Silver asked.

"...Um, yes?"

"...I would have loved you... I would have fallen in love with you anyway, even if you hadn't made me... yours..." Silver told only a little bitterly, getting up and straddling Ivy, looking down at her, her eyes unsure and a little lost. "I just want you to know that."

"Silver?" Ivy replied softly, sitting up so Silver was sitting on her lap, and holding her waist. Silver put her arms around her too, on her back, their eyes locked together. "...You're really sure of that?" She asked, a little dread forming in her. Not so much of possible regret, but about where this might be going.

"Sure enough. You're perfect for me. I might not have realized it right away, but it's true and I know I would have been drawn to you enough to find that out for myself..." Silver explained softly, looking away and slumping her back a little so she could rest her chin on Ivy's shoulder. "What do you think about that, Ivy?" She asked into her ear.

"...I'm not sure. ...You wish I hadn't... made you mine?" She asked.

"...No..." Silver answered softly. "Maybe you needed me to be yours?" She told her. "Maybe... maybe I didn't mind..." She admitted in an even softer voice. "Maybe a part of me even misses it a little..."

"...Do you really?" Ivy asked.

Silver moved back and looked into her eyes, all sorts of emotions going on inside her, Ivy could tell. "A little..." Silver admitted. "I kept my promise though, I'm... I'm never leaving you, Ivy. No matter what. Just the idea of doing that... It hurts so much, just to think about... not being with you anymore..." She confessed, a few tears escaping her eyes. "Is that fair? Just to, to wake up one night and be -that- completely, hopelessly in love with another person? Maybe it's not, and maybe I should care more that it's not, but... I don't... I don't Ivy, I just... want you... more than I'd have even though I -could- want... I want you..." She kissed her then, almost desperately.

Ivy kissed back, both of them clinging to one another fiercely, their bodies pressing together, moving against one another like they'd done hundreds of times before. Ivy felt a little adrift actually, the strength of emotion she sensed behind Silver's confession staggering her to consider. To consider what she'd done to this woman; how she'd brought this about. But, more than anything, that Silver loved her so much that none of it mattered to her nearly so much as the result of them having found one another, that set her mind and heart at ease so much. Made her think that, that maybe she didn't have to know everything about her lover. Maybe she just needed to know that one simple thing, and that everything else that needed to be between them would come from that; naturally, in its own time. They were more plant than human now, anyway, and that's how plants were. They grew in their own time, and were always beautiful... At least until their time was over, and their inheritors' time began. Ivy had every intention of being as trees with Silver however, and having their time last a long, long time. As long as she could possibly manage.

Ivy leaned Silver back, slowly, inevitably, until she was under her on the bed. She smiled softly down to her lover. "Let me love you; show you how... how devoted I am, I... I'm yours Silver. You made me yours. I belong to you, alright? Tell me... tell me..."

"...You belong to me..." Silver repeated the words softly, a little reverently.

"Mmnn... I do." Ivy kissed her softly, once then again and smiled to her.

"I belong to you too, I suppose." Silver smiled. "Still."

Ivy smiled back, a little triumph in her eyes. "Good..." She answered, lowering herself down to Silver's breasts and taking one of the nipples in her mouth a little, kissing it, using her tongue.

"Mmm, I love us together..." Silver spoke, sounding happy and arching her back a little.

Soon, Ivy was going down on her lover, a thrill going through her as her tongue touched Silver's sex.

Silver was still in love with her, it was all real.

The thought just seemed to stay in her mind and not go away, and each time she thought it, she felt nearly overwhelmingly happy.

\--- M'GANN ---

In her dreams, she was with Artemis again. The love of her life had returned to her from a lake of fire and she had gone in to meet her. She felt the fire burning her as she kissed her lover, but she didn't care. And then Artemis asked her... why had she been unfaithful to her? Why had she been with other women? Why? Why had she given up on them? And M'gann couldn't answer, was too ashamed to answer, and so, with a shock, she woke up.

Where were her eyes? What had... she concentrated. Everything... hurt. Her mind felt... numb. Someone was in her arms... Catalina. Lina. Where were the other two... where were Nina and Shelley? She couldn't tell, but all of the sudden, none of it mattered to her, because she knew what the dream meant. She'd been... sick somehow, last night. The green, Ivy, Lina, all of it; she'd been... mind drunk... Lost to feelings and desires she hadn't been able to control or even really understand. She hadn't seen what was important. The one thing in all of it, in the whole of her life since the day Artemis had been murdered, that was really, truly, important, and she'd missed it.

She forced her mouth to move. "Lazarus pits." She spoke the words, forcing her body to come back to the shape she needed, the shape she was used to. She'd let herself change into... mostly plants, hadn't she? Only a bare outline of a woman holding and being held by Lina, the rest of her grown out in roots and vines and shoots and flowers and leaves. She opened her eyes, pushed Lina away from her, gently, so her new... so her new lover wouldn't wake. She sat up and touched her hair. Blonde, comforting. she looked down at her skin though, it was... tan, and human looking. So familiar. She looked around for a mirror and saw them next to her.

"Nina... Shelley..." She spoke softly, touching Nina's forehead, then her throat. "Alive, she's alive..." And then looking, with growing fear and terror, from her to Shelley ...or... what was left of Shelley. A sob escaped her and she started to cry. "No... no, no, no, no, no!" She repeated, backing away and bumping into Lina, waking her.

"Wha... what's... M'gann? What's..." Lina started to say.

M'gann gathered her lover up in her arms protectively. "Don't... don't look..." She pleaded softly, still crying.

"What's wrong?" Lina asked in a quiet voice. "What, fuck, what did Viv do to me?" She asked, pushing away from M'gann. "We slept together; you, you were in my head!" Lina accused, backing away from her and getting out of bed, her eyes finding Nina and Shelley. "What in the..." Her eyes found M'gann's. "What did you do to them?! Monster!" She screamed. "You murdered them; you, you made me..." She collapsed and started throwing up.

M'gann was stunned; she tried frantically to get inside Lina's head to calm her, tell her she hadn't meant for... for any of it to happen. That none of it was her fault, anyone's fault. It was just... just something tragic that hadn't been in her control. But when she tried, there was... nothing. It just hurt. She couldn't stand to keep trying so she stopped. "I'm mind-blind." She spoke in a whisper, wiping her tears away and turning to look at Nina and Shelley again.

Shelley was... she was just gone. A mass of roots growing from her, all dead. M'gann didn't even know; couldn't remember how that could have, how she could have... done that. She wouldn't have even thought she would have had the ability to do that; to change someone else's shape in the ways she'd have needed to in order to do that. "The green..." She realized. The energy of it. She could still feel the echoes of it. Of what had happened. Shelley had been so drawn to it; she'd wanted to... be it, be a plant. And herself, she'd been so... so mind-drunk, she had been doing anything her lovers wanted her to without even thinking about it by that point, so she'd... she'd tried to give Shelley her wish. She looked at Shelley now, fresh tears in her eyes. "Guess... I just, I just tried something I had no idea how to do, didn't I? Didn't we?" She asked sadly.

She felt sick inside, and guilty. About Shelley, but... Artemis... She was having a hard time facing it. She got up out of bed and looked at herself in the mirror. She just stood there, ran her hands over her body a little, touched her face. Artemis's face, Artemis's body. She'd changed herself into her lover. She closed her eyes and willed herself to change back to the self she'd become used to. The blonde haired green woman who grieved her lost lover by mimicking her hair color; how Artemis's hair had felt to touch. She tried, or tried to try at least, but she just couldn't bring herself to do it, to change back. She opened her eyes again and looked at the woman, twenty-one years old and so completely beautiful to her own eyes, in the mirror, and she smiled. "I'll find you again, love, I promise I will. I found a way. I didn't think there was one, but... there is. We'll, we'll be together again." She found herself smiling happily, almost laughing with how giddy she felt.

"What are you doing?!" Nina cried to her from the other side of the room. "Are you smiling?" She asked, sounding scared now.

"Yes, I am." She closed her eyes and sighed, turning around to look at Lina, who had backed up against the wall on the opposite side of the room, obviously scared of her. "I know..." She looked at Nina and Shelley a moment then looked away, ashamed. "I know this is really terrible, Lina. I wish I could have stopped this from happening." She looked over and met Lina's eyes. "But I just figured out I can bring her back. Maybe I can even bring Shelley back." She offered.

"What... what are you talking about?" Nina asked, guardedly.

"Lazarus pits." M'gann smiled. "Talia told me; they bring back the dead. I saw in her mind the proof that it was true. I can bring Artemis back. I just need to kill her father for her, and she'll show me how they work--I know she will."

"That's..." Lina held her head and shook it. "M'gann... What did we do last night? What happened? Why..."

M'gann floated quickly across the room to her lover's side, holding her gently, even though Lina flinched away from her a little at first. "Shh, it's, it's going to be okay. Alright?" She comforted her softly. Like it or not, M'gann realized, she cared deeply for this woman now. She couldn't just abandon her after what just happened; even... even if it meant waiting just a little longer to have Artemis back. Though doing this for Lina probably wouldn't affect the time it took, thankfully. She just had to take care of all this as fast as possible, that's all. "It was just... I was, I guess you'd call it mind-drunk. Ivy, the green, what she's connected to... it's so much bigger than me, overwhelming; everything green and growing everywhere in the world loves her--the power of that, it's just... and you, you're... You were tied to her, to the green; you'd do whatever Ivy wanted, whatever I wanted. It wasn't the same for me. It was like... sudden, unreasoning infatuation; with Ivy, with the green--I wasn't myself. And when I bonded with you, I got, I got lost all the way. I would have done anything you or Shelley or Nina wanted me to do--no hesitation or doubt or even thought--and Shelley... she wanted... she..."

"She wanted to be a plant. I... I remember..." Lina confirmed, the realization coming to her. She remembered it all, she was just having trouble processing apparently, M'gann realized. "What about... what about Nina? What happened to her? Is she, is she dead too?" Lina asked, sounding scared again. But scared from realizing that she might be responsible for this too somehow more than scared of her, M'gann could tell. She couldn't read Lina's mind anymore of course, but she'd been inside her very deeply; they'd imprinted on one another, so she knew everything about her now. "And why do you look like that? Like... Like Artemis... Shit... I remember Artemis, I remember... you." She looked at M'gann helplessly as she started to cringe and hold her head. "I remember..." She whispered, sort of crumbling in M'gann's arms.

"This... this is probably what happened to Nina; Lina, you have to, you have to stay with me, focus on my voice. I can't... I can't help you with this like I should be able to; I've... I've gone mind-blind." M'gann told her, feeling a little panic.

"What... what's wrong with me?" Lina moaned, she was crying on M'gann's shoulder now, obviously in pain.

"It's my memories; probably Nina and Shelley's too. They're crowding your mind out; you don't have the thought-structure in place to handle it." M'gann told her.

"What... what do I do?" She collapsed, her legs not holding her up anymore. M'gann lowered her to the floor, noticing the smell of the vomit in the room finally, now that she was down closer to it. She used her telekinesis to flash-blast the room, clean the air and move the vomit outside and close the widow. She didn't need distractions right now. Thankfully her telekinesis was still working. "My head; it's like... like I'm burning, like I'm... going to... to shatter..." Lina was crying uncontrollably now.

"Focus on me, Lina. Just focus on me; remember me. Don't think of anything else. Try... try to imagine yourself becoming me. Everything I know is inside you, and that part of you; she knows how to keep you sane and in one piece. You just have to be her, be me; just for a while. Otherwise..." M'gann trailed off.

"Otherwise I'll go insane... or a coma or I die... I know... I know..." Lina answered. "Have to... be you, be, be M'gann... M'gann M'orzz... I'm M'gann M'orzz, I'm... I'm Miss Martian, I was... I was... I was so alone..." She started sobbing again.

"But then you heard Cay'an? Then... then you found Artemis, and... and you fell in love... and, and it was so beautiful; everything you could ever want mostly, but... but then..." M'gann trailed off.

"Saturn Queen; that... that fucking evil bitch--she... she killed her. Aggahh!" She flailed about wildly in M'gann's arms. "I'll kill her; tear her apart... rip her..." And she was crying again. "She's dead. Artemis..."

"She is, but you're, you're going to bring her back, M'gann... There's a Lazarus pit--Talia knows--you'll, you'll get her back; you just... you just have to pull yourself together, fix your mind, build the right structures. Come on M'gann, ~you've known how to do that since you were a little girl and your mother and aunts were bringing you dead things to eat. This should be easy.~" She told Lina, saying the last part in Martian, hoping that would help.

"Right... ~Should be easy.~" Lina repeated softly, laying limply against M'gann and closing her eyes.

M'gann waited there with her; trying not to give up hope, stroking her hair, saying words of soft encouragement to her in Martian, and trying to hold onto the fact that this was all going to be worth it once she had Artemis back. Once she had Artemis again, it, it would all just be like a bad dream, and she'd, she'd really belong somewhere, with someone again.

Time passed and finally Lina stirred. "~What happened?~" She asked a little drowsily in Martian.

"~It's okay, you're... you're okay.~ You're going to be okay." M'gann promised, feeling a huge weight fall off her as relief flooded through her. At least she hadn't; at least Lina was okay. That was; that meant a lot. She really didn't want to feel guilty like that about another person on top of what she already felt guilty about.

Lina blinked her eyes open and stared at M'gann; a smile, full and beautiful, coming to her lips. "Artemis, you're here, oh, you're here!" She spoke with so much joy as she kissed M'gann--so much passion and longing going into that kiss, M'gann could almost swear she felt some of it, even through her mind-blindness. "Don't, don't ever leave me again..." Lina just kept kissing her until M'gann pushed her away and swallowed a lump in her throat, willing herself to... to change, to be herself again. Her green, Martian self with blonde hair who mourned her dead lover. "What... wha..." Lina touched M'gann's face and started to cry. "It isn't real..." She started weeping, and M'gann just held her, unconsciously slipping back into a copy of Artemis's body again; not really being able to help herself. It was like, this was her tether, to Artemis, to the promise she'd made to Artemis when she was alive. That she'd be only hers.

"I know, I know..." M'gann soothed. "I'm sorry.... Try to remember. You're Lina, you're... you're not me, Lina."

"I'm..." Lina sat up, sat back, looked at M'gann; her body once again that of Artemis. "Do you have to look like that?" She asked in a small, sad voice.

M'gann closed her eyes and willed herself to change back again; though it hurt, emotionally, to do it. Like, somehow, she wasn't being as faithful as she should, even if there was a good reason. 'Artemis wouldn't want you to hurt your friend,' she told herself, all the while knowing that Artemis would probably really hate this woman and not want to even see her once she found out M'gann had been her lover while she'd been... dead... "Better?" She asked Lina gently.

Lina nodded, backing up a little more and getting to her feet. Wordlessly going over to the bed and going to check on Nina, avoiding looking at M'gann while she did.

"What's wrong?" M'gann asked, able to tell something was from how Lina was apparently trying to ignore her a little.

"You can't help her, can you?' Lina asked, still looking only at Nina.

"...No. Maybe if my telepathy comes back, I'll be able to, but... not like this; not blinded like this..." She admitted, going over and sitting on the edge of the bed, looking at Lina's back.

"And... you don't; you were never really in love with me, or them, were you? It was just... you, mind-drunk on, on Viv, or the green or something; is that it?" Lina asked softly.

"I... yes... that's... yes." M'gann admitted. "I care about you, about them... Maybe even -almost- love you, but... yes. It wasn't real."

"I thought so." Lina answered.

"...What is it? Why are you... asking that...?" M'gann asked, touching Lina's shoulder.

"I'm asking because... I'm not in love with Viv, with Ivy, I'm... I'm not sure I ever really knew her like I thought I did. I mean, I get it now; about... why, why she's doing all this... It's messed up, but, she's probably right. She's probably known better than any of us what was right, all this time. But... I'm not in love with her." Lina repeated soberly, softly. "I don't even think I like her; don't even want to see her again, honestly."

"Then what?" M'gann asked, itching to leave and find Talia, but not able to just leave Lina just yet without knowing she was going to be alright.

"What is... I think... I think I'm in love with you." Lina admitted, turning and looking at her.

"...You... What?" M'gann asked, confused. "How, that... that doesn't even make any sense!" She protested.

"Tell me about it." Lina agreed, sounding a little defeated. "I just, I look at you now, and... and it's there. I'm in love with you. I mean, I know everything--every small little detail of who you are now. And I have the feeling of just... love... for that person I know so well. Like I... like I want to know her even better. Be her friend... be her lover... Try to be her everything... And I know... Artemis; and I know I don't stand a chance against that--against her, but... I don't stand a chance, do I?" She asked, a little hope finding its way into voice.

"I... I can't deal with this right now." M'gann answered, getting up; letting her body change into Artemis's again, mentally willing herself to grow clothes over her skin, and floating out the door, not looking back.

"Fuck." M'gann heard Lina's defeated voice behind her and she felt guilty even more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(to be continued)


	9. Waking Up Is Hard To Do

PART 9: WAKING UP IS HARD TO DO

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

\--- SILVER ---

A cell phone rang and disturbed their peaceful snuggling. Ivy got up and Silver reluctantly let her out of her arms, feeling the lack of her immediately and wishing she could have Ivy to herself always. "Mmnnn." She whined a little and sat up, her eyes focused on Ivy; every movement, she was fascinated.

"Yes?" Ivy answered the phone while sitting on the edge of the bed.

Silver got up and followed her lover, snuggling up to her back and holding her free hand.

"Good. Good job, Raul. You and your lover come home, or whatever; take the rest of the day together, okay?" She told their maid softly.

After waiting for Raul's response, Ivy hung up the phone and Silver started kissing her neck and shoulder.

"Mmm, do that as much as you want." Ivy asked, turning around in her arms and kissing her.

"It's done then? Marsy?" Silver asked after the kiss broke.

"Mm." Ivy pushed her back onto her back and was over her. "Yes. Nothing we can do now but wait and hope it goes well." Ivy kissed her again.

Silver responded, but felt a little conflicted.

"What is it?" Ivy asked, sensing something wasn't quite right.

"I..." Silver looked into Ivy's eyes.

"Tell me. Whatever it is, it's okay." She comforted.

"I just didn't know it would feel like this." She admitted. "Now that... now that it's real. We're really going to kill, murder, all those people." She told.

"We are." Ivy told her honestly. "How... how does that make you feel?" She asked.

"...Not great. Kind of... nervous... I'm not sure I'm cut out for this, to tell you the truth..." She admitted softly. "I want to be, for you, but..."

"I can guess..." Ivy answered softly, laying her head on Silver's shoulder and snuggling up to her. "I used to feel that way, or close to it, when I started all this, you know..." She related softly.

"...Not anymore?" Silver asked.

"No. No, not anymore." Ivy admitted. "I suppose... I suppose I've gotten used to it... It even feels... satisfying."

Silver played her hand through Ivy's hair, stroked her back, just loved the feel of her. "Do you think I'll start to feel that way?" She asked.

"Maybe." Ivy answered, kissing her neck. "Do you want to feel that way?"

"I just want to be in love with you, honestly. To have that though, I know I need to be with you, all the way... This is just the price..." Silver told. "I have to be a murderer."

"They're the murderers, Silver. I just stop them." Ivy answered that a little coldly.

"And I love you for it." Silver replied softly, kissing Ivy's head.

"Then why..." Ivy got up a little so she was looking into Silver's eyes with a fierce sort of emotion there. The look seemed to fade away though and Ivy sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Silver replied. "It was kind of sexy, actually."

Ivy laughed just a little or a sad laugh. "You know I won't ever stop." She told, looking at Silver seriously. "Not unless I win or I die, at least."

"I know." Silver answered.

"I thought you understood." Ivy looked at her; a look of hurt and betrayal coming to her face a little before she hid it.

"Believe me, I do. I really do..." Silver closed her eyes. "I hate them, all of them, but... I guess... I guess I just realized... that I'm scared. Scared for you, scared for me... scared of I'm not even sure what... Maybe I'm just not as strong as you." She admitted, opening her eyes and bringing a hand up to caress Ivy's face.

Ivy smiled softly down at her. "You don't need to be." She answered gently. "You don't have to be involved with that part of things anymore, not if you don't want to be. You... you don't even have to know about it... You can just be my lover, if... if that's what you want." Ivy offered.

"...What if I want to be your wife?" Silver asked softly.

Ivy just looked at her silently a moment, then bent in to kiss her. "Are you asking me to marry you?" Ivy asked her softly.

"I suppose I am, yes." Silver answered, looking into her lover's eyes, feeling such trust and belonging with this woman.

"Then... yeah. Yes, I'll marry you, of course I will." Ivy replied happily, a smile on her face.

"When?" Silver asked.

"When?" Ivy considered. "At the first opportunity?" She offered questioningly.

"Alright then." Silver was satisfied with that. She felt more secure in herself too somehow. She'd always wanted to marry, she just hadn't found her right person. Now she had. "Ivy?"

"Yes?" Ivy asked softly, having started kissing Silver's chin and neck again.

"I don't want to not be a part of any part of your life." She told softly.

"...What do you mean?" Ivy asked, looking into her eyes again.

"I mean, even if it... even if it scares me, even if it's hard to face, even if I have to feel like this for a while... I want to help you, with everything. I'll get used to it, right? You did, so... so I will too. I mean, you're right, and I can't stand how it feels--all the suffering and disease and death out there, in the green, and... and humans do that, cause that. I want it to stop; I want that so much I feel like I'd do almost -anything-, anything at all to... It's just... I'll... I'll get used to it, right? You'll help me?" She asked softly, feeling a lot better for having confessed her feelings out loud.

"Of course I will, love..." Ivy kissed her. "Of... of course I will." Ivy looked into her eyes meaningfully. "I'm proud of you." She told her softly. "I love you so much; I'm just... I'm so grateful... So grateful you love me back." Ivy spoke with raw honestly. "I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't..."

Silver moved up and kissed her, rolled her over so Ivy was under her and started kissing her. "You know we should probably go and check on M'gann, don't you?" She told her regretfully. "We... we can't leave that... What happened with her, we can't leave that in the air. It's... she's just too dangerous not to know where she stands."

Ivy sighed. "You're right, of course. You'd be alright with it? Us marrying her too?"

"Of course. I mean,... probably. I feel it feels kind of... what happened with her, it's not... Something's... off about it... but... yes, I'd be willing to. It makes sense, doesn't it?" She offered. "And it's not as though having someone that... intensely attractive sharing our bed would be a hardship, would it? We should just... see where we stand. You know she could be a huge help to us."

"That's probably putting it mildly." Ivy agreed. "When I think how much progress we could make with that kind of... power..."

Silver smiled softly. "We'd make a better world..." She told her, secretly just really happy that Ivy had used the word 'we' like that; like it was just a fact for her, that they were in this together.

"We'd do it much faster." Ivy agreed. "I just... I can't help it; I... hate... the idea of sharing you." Ivy looked up into her eyes, looking a little at a loss for what to say. "When it comes to you, I'm surprisingly possessive, I'm finding out."

Silver smiled. "I can tell that, yes... but, I actually like that you feel that way about me somehow." She admitted. "If it were someone else, I don't think I would, but with you..." She just smiled fondly.

"That's nice to know... Do you... feel that way in return?" Ivy asked hopefully.

"...Some." Silver told her honestly. "Probably not as much. I wouldn't mind us having other lovers, as long as I knew you were still mine."

"And... if I cheated on you with some other woman?" Ivy asked teasingly.

Silver closed her eyes, but didn't answer right away. "It would depend on the circumstance I guess, but ...I'd probably be hurt." She finally answered, opening her eyes and meeting Ivy's gaze. "But I don't believe you'd do that." She smiled. "I've gotten to know you pretty well, you know."

Ivy kissed her, pulling Silver down closer to her. "I do know. And you're right, I... I never want to hurt you; not even in a small way, let alone something like that... I'm glad you feel that way though..."

"...But you wish I felt even more, felt as intensely as you?" Silver ventured.

"Mm, I suppose I do." She admitted. "I'll just have to work on it."

"On me, you mean?" Silver teased.

"Something like that..." Ivy answered seductively, kissing her softly again.

Silver felt her heart flutter a little in her chest. "I very much want to have you right now..." She told Ivy.

"Mm, and I very much want you to have me, any time at all." Ivy told her. "...But you're right, we should go and check on M'gann..."

Silver just stared intently into Ivy's eyes some moments longer, then closed her eyes and sat up, offering Ivy a hand to help her up. "Let's go then." She offered softly, stroking Ivy's hair a little before getting up from the bed; Ivy following, them still holding hands.

They got dressed first, just in silk bed-wear, and went downstairs together, holding hands and smiling to one another. Silver was thinking about how to broach the idea of children with Ivy. She couldn't remember much from when M'gann bonded them for some reason, so she didn't really know how Ivy would feel about it. But she wanted to have them. It was probably too soon to bring it up though; and Silver, despite showing such confidence, still wasn't completely sure it was going to work with Ivy. She wanted it to, badly. She could hardly even imagine her life anymore without Ivy there next to her, and she was willing to do just about anything, she thought, to keep her. Whatever that said about her, whatever the consequences. She was in love, she couldn't make herself not be, nor did she want to. And she was behind Ivy's cause--felt it was her cause now too in fact; believed it was absolutely right. It was just... she had a bad feeling about it all for some reason. She just hoped she was imagining things.

And she really did hope Ivy wanted kids. She didn't think she could bring herself to leave Ivy over it if Ivy didn't want them, but... she did really want them. At some point. And since it was pretty apparent Ivy was it for her--her happily ever after hopefully--then it stood to reason if she was ever going to have them, it would be with Ivy.

They looked through the rooms, trying to find M'gann. In Shelley and Nina's room, they found... "Lina?" Ivy asked.

\--- CATALINA ---

Lina looked up at them. "Oh... hi Viv. Silver..." She spoke, looking at them warily. She'd gotten Nina untangled from... what was left of Shelley. Covered the body with a blanket. She'd been just sitting there with Nina, stroking her hair and face and arms a little, trying to get her to wake up. Despite how it all happened, Lina found she cared a great deal about Nina, as she would for Shelley of course, if she were still alive. She thought someone should be there for her.

"What on Earth happened?" Silver asked, hurrying into the room and getting onto the bed to look at Nina.

Viv followed behind, coming up to the bed and sitting on the edge of it. She looked at the body on the bed, covered in a blanket. "Lina..." Viv started.

Lina looked over to where Shelley's body was. "Shelley. She's dead." Lina explained.

"Oh, no..." Silver started crying and Viv went to comfort her, taking her in her arms.

"What happened here?" Viv asked her, no judgments, just solemn... trusting, concern.

"She was... mind-drunk." She told them. "Derick, Tim, and the others came to find me. M'gann stopped them. She used her powers to make them stop. I killed Jean-Paul when he tried to kill M'gann... I killed him..." She hugged herself a little. "It felt so right; to protect her, protect you." She looked into Viv's eyes.

"You're free of me, aren't you?" Viv asked. "I can tell..." She assessed a little warily.

"Fuck right I am." Lina shot her an accusing look. "And for the record, I can't fucking -believe- you did that to me!"

Viv just kept looking into her eyes steadily and Lina couldn't read her, not like she used to in school. Silver was looking at her curiously now too. She sighed. "You don't have to worry though, I won't... try to put a stop to your evil, evil plans or anything. I probably wouldn't have tried to in the first place. Not that we're still friends or anything, because we're not, Viv. Not after this. If you'd have just talked to me... trusted me..."

A look of compassion came over Viv's features. "Oh, Lina... If that's true, then... then I'm sorry, for not trusting you... I just felt like I couldn't take chances. It was too important. It -is- too important."

"Ivy, who is this woman?" Silver asked. "What is it between you?"

"I know her from college. She's a vigilante named Tarantula; she was with Nightwing at the benefit, she tried to stop me." Viv told her. "I... she was my best friend, and my first love... Not that she returned my feelings the way I'd wished she would have." She admitted softly.

"Oh." Silver replied. "What happened to Nina and Shelley?" This directed at Lina.

Lina narrowed her eyes at Viv. "You told me to go find Shelley and 'fuck her until she can't talk coherently for you', right? Well, that was nice and all," She answered sarcastically "but it all sort of went downhill from there."

"And why'd you tell her to do that?" Silver asked, a little accusingly.

"...I was... angry, at Nina; because she... because you and she... I wanted to kill her, but I couldn't; I wouldn't do that, so... I guess I thought I'd pay her back by... I wasn't really thinking very clearly right then." She admitted.

Silver kissed Viv then and Lina couldn't help but feeling a little residual jealousy, but she quickly stomped that feeling out inside her. "Right. Well, like I said." Lina continued. "Derick and his friends came in, M'gann stopped them. I didn't know M'gann was here by the way, or what Derick was planning; otherwise, well, fanatical lesbian sex obsessed love-slave that I was, you know I would have told you about it."

"Why didn't you know?" Viv asked.

"Because, genius, I was stupid enough to believe in you. Trust you. Care about you. Even with the evidence they showed me, I couldn't believe you were a murderer; so I left and tried to prove them wrong." Lina told her.

"Nina and Shelley, Lina; what happened to Nina and Shelley." Silver interrupted impatiently.

"...A long story short? I came on to M'gann, she tried to do something in my mind, it didn't work, and she sort of... lost herself to me; to Nina and Shelley too. To our desires. Talia warned her, but M'gann didn't listen. We made love, the four of us... M'gann was... inside us--in our minds--no walls. I know, everything, absolutely everything about her now; about Nina and Shelley too. That's what happened to Nina. It was too much for her. She went into a coma; the only way her mind could save itself, by shutting down. I was a little tougher apparently, and M'gann talked me through it when we woke up; told me how to deal with it. I almost went the same way though..."

"And... Shelley?" Viv asked.

"...It was the green, Viv. You know, 'the green'? Big, huge, quasi-unified mind-scape that you're plugged into and apparently motivates most everything you do?" Lina started to explain. "The power of it, of you; M'gann was overwhelmed by it. She changed into, um, more plant than anything, and apparently, Shelley wanted that too, so..."

"So M'gann tried to give it to her..." Silver realized.

"Yeah. Obviously though, she didn't really know how and Shelley died because of it." Lina concluded, looking Viv in the eyes.

Viv sighed and closed her eyes, letting go of Silver and getting off the bed, going over to Shelley. "Let me see..." She spoke softly.

Lina looked at Silver.

"I can sympathize with what you're going through." Silver told her. "Ivy just let me go today."

"And you're... still with her?" Lina asked, just a little incredulously.

Silver sighed. "I'm in love with her; that my choices are all my own again doesn't change that apparently. I want to be with her... I did kind of want to smack her though." She admitted.

"I know, right?" Lina replied, watching as Viv looked over Shelley, focusing on that and apparently tuning them out.

"So, why did... um, why did you turn her down? Back in college?" Silver asked. "If you were best friends, I mean, she's got to be the most beautiful woman I've ever met... and the way... I would have fallen for her even if she hadn't made me hers first; I'm sure of it."

"I'm straight, Silver. At least until Viv did what she did to me." She answered quietly.

"Really? I'm bi-sexual. Or I was. It probably doesn't matter now. So, um, how did you like being a lesbian then?" Silver asked curiously, apparently fascinated.

"...A lot better than I thought I would, to tell you the truth." She admitted softly, thinking of M'gann.

"Really? You don't... have designs on her, do you?" Silver asked, her voice turning a little cold.

"Viv? No. I'm not even sure I want to be friends with her after what she did." Lina answered softly.

"Who then?" Silver asked.

"...M'gann..." Lina admitted.

"Oh... Where is she, by the way?" Silver asked.

"Talking with Talia about bringing the love of her life back from the dead, I'd imagine." Lina answered.

"...Back from the dead?" Silver asked, perplexed.

"Lazarus pits. They do that, or so I'm told." Lina told, a little bitterly.

"Um, okay... So, who's this Talia person?" Silver asked.

"Bruce Wayne's fiancé. Or she was. She was here with Derick and the others, coming after Ivy for killing him. He was Batman, did you know?" Lina explained.

"Really?" Viv looked over at them. "Huh. You'd think someone who goes around in a cape and a mask trying to stop murders wouldn't have his company paving over wetlands and savagely murdering all of the flora and fauna that live there." She answered bitterly. "Fucking self-righteous bigots. Monsters, all of them." She muttered.

Silver smiled fondly at her and Lina just shook her head in dismay a little. "He was a good man, Viv. It's not his fault he didn't know any better."

"That's debatable." Viv muttered.

"What did you find out about Shelley?" Silver asked Viv.

"Oh, um, it's good. I think I can save her, in fact." Viv smiled to her lover.

"You can? But, she's dead right? She has to be dead. You can't being someone back from the dead, Viv... can you?" Lina asked.

"Normally? Of course not. But dead for a plant isn't the same thing as dead for a human." Viv explained. "Part of her, the human part, is dead, or it probably is; but the plant part is more... dormant. Confused. And malnourished. Can you get me some water for her?" She asked.

"Um, yeah, of course." Lina hurried to get up and fetch the water, eager to help if it was true. "If you're messing with me about this somehow, Viv, so help me..."

She came back with a pitcher of water and she and Silver watched as Viv poured it on Shelley's chest. Then Viv started caressing the roots and humming a melody to Shelley's body. Silver seemed to join in after a bit and Lina wondered about that, but didn't say anything for fear of messing them up.

Soon, miraculously, some new growth started to happen; eventually a flower. Viv and Silver smiled to each other. "It worked." Silver spoke, her face lit up in a smile.

"You were... amazing." Viv told her, reaching over and touching her lover face.

"...Thank you. I just, did what you were doing." Silver replied.

"What -were- you doing?" Lina asked, moving in to touch the green parts of Shelley in wonder. "Is she really; is she really alive though? Or, I mean, is this; is it really Shelley? Or, is it something; like the plant version of a... daughter, I don't know... that you grew out of her?" She asked Viv.

"She's perennial, not annual. She didn't seed herself." Viv smiled softly. "It's her. I can feel her, Lina." 

"So can I." Silver concurred. "It's definitely Shelley, Lina. And she's... happy. She was scared before, wasting away, lost... but we found her. She's going to be alright." She informed happily.

Lina felt a weight taken off her. "That's... that's amazing... Thank you." She looked between both of them. "Both of you?"

"Does that mean... we might be friends again?" Viv asked.

Lina looked at her and sighed, smiling a little. "I guess I never could stay mad at you, could I?" She admitted. "Even... even over something like this, I guess." She looked down at her hands and reached over to take Shelley's limp hand in hers. She had to admit, once she looked past the feelings of hurt and betrayal and mistrust she had for Viv, there was... there was love there. A flicker of it at least. Not nearly her feelings for M'gann, but it was love all the same. That part of her wanted to be friends with this woman she'd known so well again... She'd wanted that for a long time; ever since what happened. Ever since she'd turned Viv down all those years ago and they'd drifted apart. She'd regretted that distance since; wishing many times she could have found a way to remain friends with her. Viv had been too hurt though, and she'd pushed her away, and Lina had let her because she didn't want to hurt her any more than she already had.

Viv smiled to her. "Thank you, Lina. I... I promise, you have my trust, okay?" She looked at her.

"Okay." Lina agreed softly. "What about Nina? M'gann said she can't help her; whatever happened last night, she went mind-blind from it. Her telepathy's gone. She said she could have helped her if she still had it, but..."

"I should go find her; M'gann. And this Talia. Can you two stay with Shelley? Take her out into the sun? Get her some more water?" Ivy asked.

"Of course I will." Silver agreed immediately.

"I... I'd rather come with you, to find M'gann. Maybe... maybe I can help?" Lina asked.

"...You're really in love with her?" Viv asked. "M'gann? What about Derick? ...Wait, what happened to him anyway? And the others in this group M'gann stopped?"

Lina closed her eyes and searched her heart. "Yes, I love her Viv. I... want to be with her. Even though I know she probably doesn't want to be with me. I just don't feel that way about Derick; not anymore at least, for whatever reason." She opened her eyes and looked from Silver back to Viv. "And M'gann said she put Derick and Tim to sleep in a room around here somewhere; that they wouldn't wake up until she woke them. She convinced Talia to... defect, I guess; went into her mind and showed her things--promised to help her be free of her father... be with the woman she loved." Lina smiled. "Lot of that going around I guess."

Silver smiled encouragingly to her.

"Lilhy, Jean-Paul's handler, Talia's best friend; she was here with them too. Talia and her; they'd carried on an affair, even though she was going to marry Bruce Wayne. She was scared of her father. They're in another guest room. M'gann got rid of Jean-Paul's body somewhere, I don't know where." She finished explaining.

"Wow." Viv shook her head. "I missed a lot, didn't I?" She concluded.

"Really." Silver repeated.

Viv got up and held her hand out to Lina. "Let's go then." She offered.

Lina smiled to her, a little unsure, and took her hand, getting up.

Silver scooped Shelley up into her arms effortlessly.

"How strong are you two?" Lina asked.

"About three times human." Viv supplied.

"Huh." Lina answered as she and Ivy left. "I guess you got tired of the other girls always beating you in those self-defense classes we took together back at school."

\--- M'GANN ---

(A while before)

She floated down the hall, briefly checked in on Derick and Tim, relieved to see they were still (rather cutely) asleep in bed together. She had no idea how long they'd stay that way, what effect what happened last night might have had on them, or how she'd wake them up again. She might just be able to go over and shake them and they'd wake up, or they'd wake up on their own, or her telepathic lock was still in place and they wouldn't wake until she regained her telepathy and unlocked the lock, or they could even be catatonic like Nina. She shivered a little, thinking about what she'd let happen. But she'd have to worry about Derick and Tim later, she had to talk with Talia now.

Artemis was waiting for her.

Down the hall a little farther, she knocked softly on Talia and Lilhy's door.

No answer. It wasn't locked, so she opened the door and peeked in. It was dark inside but she could see perfectly through it of course and saw the couple in bed together. Talia moaned a little and sat up. "What is it? M'gann? Is that you?" Talia asked.

"It's me." M'gann replied. "We need to talk."

"Mm. Be right there." Talia answered. Lilhy was still fast asleep apparently, so Talia slipped out of bed quietly, slipped on a silk robe she'd found in the room, and went out into the hallway with her. "Why do you look like that?" Talia asked. "Like your dead lover?"

M'gann backed her against the wall and held her forearms. "Lazarus pits, Talia. I can bring her back, we can bring her back!" She told urgently. "You'll help me; you will."

"M'gann... Of course. You know I will." Talia answered soothingly. "Just... be at peace; you're hurting me a little."

M'gann, startled, let her go; holding her hands a little shakily to her chest and looking away. "I'm sorry; it's just..."

"Shh, I understand, sweet one." Talia held her in her arms and M'gann relaxed. "I understand."

"Of course you do." M'gann replied softly, backing away a little and touching Talia's face. "We're... we're friends." She smiled.

"Always." Talia answered, kissing her forehead. "...What time is it, anyway?" She asked.

"Nine seventeen." M'gann replied easily. Martians naturally kept perfect time.

"Mm. Something happened, didn't it?" She asked.

"...Understatement." M'gann answered. "Sufficed to say, you were very right last night; I wish I'd have been... I wish I'd have listened."

"Tell me." Talia asked.

"Love? Where are you?" Lilhy's voice came from the room.

Talia moved from the wall and went to the door. "Here." She called back.

Lilhy turned on the light next to the bed and Talia and M'gann walked into the room. Lilhy regarded M'gann warily. "Miss Martian..." She spoke.

"You can call me M'gann." M'gann offered, trying to appear as un-menacing as possible for Lilhy's benefit.

"Alright... M'gann." Lilhy answered as Talia got back into bed and went over and held her. M'gann sat on the side of the bed. "What do you want?"

"She wants my help." Talia supplied. "Her lover is dead. She wants to bring her back."

They talked a while longer, and then there was a knock on the door.

"Yes?" Lilhy asked.

Ivy poked her head in from the hallway. "Hi..." She greeted.

M'gann got up from the bed and went over to hug her, not really able to help herself. Ivy was just... Ivy. "Hi" M'gann greeted a little shyly.

"Hi." Lina greeted her, coming into the room too.

"...Hi Lina." M'gann regarded her a little uncertainly, then went over and hugged her too. Briefly.

"You must be Talia, and Lilhy?" Ivy asked.

"And you must be the infamous Green-Eyes Killer." Talia countered. "I didn't think you'd be... quite so beautiful." She admitted.

Lilhy looked at her a little bothered by this, and tilted her face around and kissed her possessively. "You're mine, remember?" She told her.

Ivy giggled at this. "I like them." She told M'gann approvingly.

"You are very beautiful." Lilhy admitted, her cheeks warming a little.

"Thank you, both." Ivy answered indulgently. (It was a very common reaction.) "But, I think we need to talk. All of us."

"You're right, we do." M'gann agreed, going over to the bed and taking a seat.

Ivy followed and sat so they were in a triangle, M'gann at one point, Ivy another, and Talia and Lilhy the third. Lina looked uncertainly at M'gann. M'gann was a little weary of her, honestly, and the feelings Lina had for her. Lina seemed to sense this though, and so went to sit with Ivy, who looked a little surprised, but happy, at the gesture.

"You two made up then?" She asked them.

"I guess so." Ivy answered, smiling softly to Lina.

Lina wouldn't meet M'gann's eyes. She looked kind of sad in fact, and M'gann felt bad for being the cause. She didn't know how to help though; to make it better. She couldn't change her own heart, obviously. She was for Artemis. She only hoped Lina would understand and be able to move on; to find someone else to love.

"I don't want to marry you, or Silver, Ivy." She told softly. "I was; I wasn't in my right mind when I said that, when we... I was just so lonely, I let myself... But I can bring her back now. I can have Artemis back. You, you understand, don't you? You'll help me?" M'gann insisted. "We, we can be friends, can't we?" She offered.

"Of course we can, and of course I'll help you if I can." Ivy told her. "I know what she means to you."

"What Silver means to you, I think." M'gann answered. "Did you...?" She was almost afraid to ask. She didn't want to hear it if Silver and Ivy had broken up after Ivy freed her from her influence. It would be a bad omen.

"We're still together; she still loves me. You were right. You helped us." Ivy told her. "I'll always be grateful."

M'gann relaxed. "Where is she then?" She asked.

"With Shelley." Lina spoke up. "She isn't dead after all; just... dormant. Viv and Silver were able to bring her back."

"She's still recovering. She needs water and sunlight and soil." Ivy allowed. "And Silver's help." She added fondly.

M'gann smiled brightly at that, laying back onto her back. "Thank goodness..." She spoke, relieved. "I didn't kill her." She closed her eyes and let the feeling wash over her. Nothing was as bad as she'd thought. Everything could be fixed. She could bring Artemis back. She still had friends, good friends--better friends even--and she hadn't killed one of them like she'd thought. She could make everything right. She could... be in love again. She hadn't been wrong to believe in things like that. Maybe... Maybe her people were right; that she had to protect those things more fiercely. But... love, friendship, kindness, gentleness, beauty, softness, a real family, everything she treasured about life--she could still have them. She just had to keep faith in it; be strong, not give up ever again. Even death wasn't the end; wasn't something she couldn't overcome. "Alright." She decided softly. "Alright." She sat back up and looked around at her friends. "So; Marsy, and Luthor, your plan?" M'gann asked.

"We should know by the afternoon." Ivy told her. "Luthor is dangerous though, M'gann. Even to someone like you potentially. We should make sure he's dead before we make any moves towards your and Talia's objectives." Ivy offered. "If he does survive, he will almost certainly retaliate viciously."

M'gann was frustrated by this, but she knew Ivy was right. Kara and Helena, and others she knew, they'd had run-ins with him; they all said he was very dangerous, even though he was only human. "Alright, fine." M'gann agreed resignedly. "But after that; we kill her father, take the pits--no delays." She insisted.

"Of course." Ivy agreed.

"We'll all help." Lina offered a little shyly.

M'gann looked away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(to be continued)


	10. Garden Party

PART 10: GARDEN PARTY

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

\--- LILHY ---

It was a little while later and Lilhy was out on the lawn with Talia, Ivy, and Ivy's lover, Silver. M'gann and Catalina were off looking after the comatose maid, Nina, in the house. Talia and Ivy were sitting on a bench together, having a somewhat lively conversation about eco-politics and ideology. Topics which Lilhy really didn't care much about. She'd been more interested in getting to know the peaceful, dazzlingly beautiful, woman who was tending to the once thought dead grounds-woman, Shelley.

"Can you explain what you're doing, exactly?" Lilhy asked her new acquaintance.

"Of course. Or, well... it's not so easy to explain it in words, but I'll try." She admitted. "M'gann changed her, transformed her into something of the flora, or the green, rather than fauna--not unlike Ivy and myself in some ways--though in other ways, quite different; quite... unique. For now at least. But, as I said, we're alike now. More plant that human, really... I can, we can both, communicate with other flora. Not in spoken language, but, still, we do commune with them. Shelley's spirit, her soul, is still here; she's still alive, only... different." There were flowers and vines and leaves and now roots growing from Shelley's shriveled looking body. "The sun, water, soil; they're giving her things she needs, but she needs to know how to use them--needs company, encouragement, support... It's going to be a long ways back for her, I think. She went through a trauma; nearly died. But she'll come back... I just hope her lover will be awake by the time she does."

Lilhy shook her head a little. "Amazing..."

"I know, isn't it?" Silver smiled softly to her.

"So, you and Ivy? You're in love?" Lilhy asked back, her voice as soft and welcoming as Silver's smile.

Silver looked over at Ivy and Talia, who seemed to be getting along very well. A little too well, as far as Lilhy was concerned, actually. "Yes." Silver answered. "Very much." She turned back to meet her eyes. "I asked her to marry me."

"Truly?" Lilhy was surprised. "So soon? And, um, after what she did to you? I wouldn't have thought..." She trailed off. It really wasn't her place, after all, she realized.

"Mm, you would think I'd be more upset about being turned into a glorified love slave, wouldn't you? Except, that's not really the truth of it. Even if it were though, I don't know..." She looked down at her hands. "She's... she's just it for me, you know? My one."

"I know." Lilhy replied softly, thinking of Talia and how she'd do just about anything, probably forgive her just about anything...

"It wasn't anything even bad, you know; belonging to her... It was beautiful in fact... she just loved me. Really loved me. Listened to me. Was my friend... She's the most amazing lover... and when she looks at me..." She met Lilhy's eyes. "It was always real between us. I can't explain what I mean exactly, but... I know it was." She told her. "I know it -is-."

"...I believe you." Lilhy smiled softly. "I'm happy for you."

"Thanks." Silver answered then, soft and meaningful, reaching over to take her hand in hers. "You and Talia? You seem... You don't like that she's talking with my lover so much, do you?" She asked a little teasingly.

"I hate it, actually." Lilhy confessed. "I know it's nothing, but she's always had that effect on me." She let go of Silver's hand and looked over at Talia again. "Whenever she pays attention to anyone else, it always gets to me. Probably because of... that man."

"Bruce, you mean?" Silver asked.

"Please don't use his name..." Lilhy asked, turning back to Silver with a sigh. "Honestly, I'd be happy to never hear that name again as long as I live."

"What happened?" Silver asked curiously.

Lilhy smiled. "She saved me; she was my knight in, mm, well, something considerably more revealing than a suit of shining armor, actually." She told her. "I'd never met anyone like her. So bold, and sure of herself. On the surface at least. I'd never been in love before. Aside from a few fleeting infatuations that I never had the courage to act on. I'd told myself that it wasn't worth it. Love... I was a fool; I had no idea what love actually was, to think such things. Talia showed me. From the moment our eyes met, she stole my breath from me... I think... I think I've been breathing just for her ever since." She admitted.

"That's beautiful." Silver replied softly.

"It is nice to be around people who think so, for a change." She admitted, smiling to Silver. "Even if it means my jealous side must suffer."

"She looks over to you a lot, you know--like she's worried you I might be seducing you. I don't think either one of you is actually going to... stray, though." Silver ventured. "You're probably a good match that way, in fact."

Lilhy smiled. "That does make me feel better." She admitted.

"I thought it would." Silver replied.

"Whatever M'gann did to her... Talia asked me to marry her last night; so I suppose we really do have a lot in common, don't we?" Lilhy shared. "Both somehow set to we on the very same night."

"That's amazing." Silver agreed, looking a little surprised and unsure of herself somehow for some reason.

"What is it?" She asked her.

"Nothing. I just... Do you think you'll have children? You and Talia? Do you want them?" Silver asked.

Lilhy paused, caught off guard. "I... I hadn't thought about it." She admitted. "Talia wants children, I know that at least." She told her. "That man... She called him 'good breeding stock' more than once." She told her honestly.

Silver laughed.

"But... No." She admitted softly.

"No, what? You don't want children?" Silver asked.

"Not really." Lilhy admitted. "I wouldn't... even know where to begin to be a mother. I've never more than glanced a baby at a distance a few times. I'm sterile--unable to conceive myself--so it's never been something I thought I'd have to contend with. I considered myself lucky actually... If Talia and I did have children though, I think I would be jealous of them, for taking her time from me. But... of course, I'd want to give them to her, share that with her; if... if it meant making her happy."

"What about your happiness?" Silver asked.

"She is my happiness." Lilhy answered with quiet honesty. "When she smiles to me, and I know I am the reason... When she laughs... When she's happy, because of me, there's nothing in the world that's ever made me feel even close to that wonderful, that happy."

"...So what you're saying is you like to be on top in bed." Silver asked playfully.

Lilhy felt her cheeks warm a little. She looked over to her new friend and smiled a little. "Yes, actually." She admitted. "I've even tied her up sometimes..." She admitted softly. "Have you ever?"

"Tied Ivy to the bed?" She asked. "No; but it's not a bad idea, now that you bring it up." She considered thoughtfully.

"So, you like to be on top too then?" Lilhy asked curiously.

"Mm, it's always seemed to be about equal, actually; between me and her." Silver told her. "We take turns."

"But, which do you like most?" Lilhy asked.

"Um, both?" Silver answered, a little helplessly. "You like being on top of her more than being under her?"

"No... it's just." Lilhy sighed. "I don't know. How did we start talking about this again?"

"My fault." Silver admitted. "It's nice having another couple as friends though." She complemented. "I had no idea how... um, how things were going to be; with Ivy. From now on I mean. I thought we might end up on the run--you know, just on our own; us against the world? It seemed like... well, the Bonnie and Clyde analogy did occur to me this morning. Or Thelma and Louise. Not that I've actually watched either movie myself, come to think of it. I just have this picture of us going down in a hail of bullets or something, and it's so sad. For everyone, really, if Ivy doesn't succeed."

"Are we talking about eco-politics now too?" Lilhy asked playfully. "I came to talk to you to avoid that, you know."

"You don't believe in ...'the cause'?" Silver used air quotes with her fingers. "Mm, too bad; guess it's the firing squad for you. And here I thought I'd made a friend."

"At least you have a sense of humor about it." Lilhy smiled.

"Yes well... I do take it very seriously though." She told.

"You're just not quite as... intense about it, as your lover is?" Lilhy ventured.

"Mm. I don't know. She's been doing this longer. She has more frustration in her, I suppose. Maybe I'll be as bad before too long." Silver contemplated. "What about you? If you don't want to save the planet from 'the plague of runaway humanity', what do you believe?"

Lilhy sighed and looked down, then over to Talia again.

"You just believe in her, don't you?" Silver observed.

"I suppose... If I believe in anything at all." She confessed.

"Huh." Silver observed. "Something tells me there's a story there."

"Isn't there always?" Lilhy countered.

"A particularly interesting story then?" Silver pursued the subject.

"...I wouldn't know." Lilhy replied vaguely.

"Tell me?" Silver asked.

Lilhy met her new friend's eyes and, for some reason, did have a desire to share her story with her. "Alright. I was born into an order... A very ancient order of Templars. The Sacred Order of Saint Dumas. I was taught of an almighty god; of sin, and wrath and vengeance against the evils of the world. Strict rules of right and wrong. Rules I followed, but never embraced in my heart; never actually believed in... I thought... I thought there must be something terribly wrong with me. That I must have such sin in my heart, that the principals of goodness, they could find no purchase within me. So... So I tried to be the most devout of my sisters and brothers; strived to do the work most diligently--hoping that by doing these things, the sin in me would starve and I would believe. It never happened..." She admitted. "...As I grew older, in fact, I grew more and more disillusioned with the calling I was born to. Nothing made sense to me. But I kept along my path... Until I met Jean-Paul Valley. The order's avenging angel. And he was given to me to guide. I remember thinking how absurd that was. The symbol of our belief given to me, who could not, herself, believe. I thought, perhaps it was a test? Perhaps the elders suspected my heresy? Or perhaps... even Saint Dumas himself, if he existed, thought me unworthy, and so put his killer at my back so I'd be easy to chop down when I showed myself for who and what I was."

"I was right, this is interesting." Silver observed in friendly fashion, giving her an open and encouraging smile.

Lilhy smiled back. "Um, that is... As it turned out, we were a good match after all... Jean-Paul was a... very gentle soul. And they did... I never knew; how they made an Azrael? When I found out. When I found out what had been done to him, I forsook my vows and took him away from them. I determined that I had been right all along not to believe. That it must all have been lies. Even though I found out later that Saint Dumas, or his ghost, was, in fact, real--he was such a retched thing though, I would never put my faith in him..."

"What happened then?" Silver asked when Lilhy was silent after that.

"The order does not suffer deserters well; their poor, battered, damaged holy angel, least of all. They pursued us across southern Europe and into the Middle East, where we met Talia, and her father, Ra's al Ghul. Talia... took a liking to me." She smiled. "She offered us protection and a home. And even my former order were not so foolish as to challenge The Demon's Head, or his League of Assassins. And so we were safe. Talia's father made use of Jean-Paul's... skill, on occasion; though I insisted I always go with him as his handler. I was... the only one Jean-Paul trusted. Talia came with me on those occasions as well, though she didn't have to. Soon, we became lovers; though she was afraid to admit this to her father, who wished her to marry a worthy man to give him an heir... You can guess the rest, I'd imagine." Lilhy finished.

"...So, I suppose, in a way, you kind of owe us then--me and Ivy--for... getting rid of the competition?" She asked a little playfully.

"...It was all I could to not to laugh and dance in joy when I heard, yes. So much was I relieved, that I barely even felt guilty for feeling that way... Though I believe he was a good man, or at least tried to be. Still, if his death means I have my hearts desire, then I can truthfully say... I am happy for it." She admitted softly. "So... I suppose I do owe you for that, don't I?" She admitted. "Well, Talia has seemed to join your cause. Not a big leap for her, actually; she's always believed in those things. And as she goes, so do I; so I imagine I will have the chance to repay your... kindness, at some point."

"I imagine you will." Silver answered thoughtfully.

\--- IVY ---

(starts a little before it, and happens at the same time as Silver and Lilhy's conversation)

After talking with everyone in Talia and Lilhy's room, Ivy had wanted to go out and check on her lover in the yard with Shelley. M'gann said she was going to check on Nina, Nightwing, and Robin, hoping to work past her mind-blindness, and Lina went with her; so had Ivy invited Talia and Lilhy to come along with her. She wanted to get to know these two women she'd just met; to find out if she really had them as allies. She trusted M'gann... mostly, and Lina... Lina was Lina; but these two were unknowns.

In the yard, Ivy went over to Silver; knelt down and kissed her. "She's doing well; you have a talent for this I think." She told her, impressed with how quickly Shelley had improved under her lover's care.

"It's... so easy. I hardly even have to try." Silver replied, caressing her cheek. "Who are your new friends?"

"Mm, come on; I'll introduce you." She offered.

Silver took her hand and got up with her, going over to meet Talia and Lilhy. They exchanged pleasantries, and Silver excused herself to go back to Shelley; not wanting to leave her unattended.

"So, tell me more about your father?" Ivy asked. "And why you want him dead?"

Talia sighed as she sat down on a bench in the garden. Ivy sat beside her and Lilhy sat at Talia's feet, leaning on her legs. Talia played her hands idly though her lover's hair and looked at peace. "How much do you know of him?" She asked.

"Not much... Rumors, mostly. I know he's said to be one of the most dangerous and ruthless humans on the planet. But I don't know, well, much of anything beyond that." Ivy admitted.

"Mm, well, as M'gann knows, he is also functionally immortal. Has lived for around six-hundred and fifty years." Talia told her.

"Because of these Lazarus pits; the ones that bring people back from the dead?" Ivy asked gently, idly looking over at Silver; her breath catching a little in her throat at how very, very beautiful she looked sitting there in the grass, the sun shining down on her making her seem to almost glow.

"Yes." Talia told, smiling a little wistfully to her when she caught the look in Ivy's eyes. Ivy noticed when she turned back to her and smiled.

"...Someone whose lived that long; I suppose it's no surprise they could very well learn to be so dangerous." Ivy ventured, hoping Talia would open up more. It also surprised her little that one so long lived would have a vivid understanding of the degeneration the Earth had suffered by the hands of humans; he must even remember a time in his younger years when the air smelled pure and fresh and one could safely drink from most any fresh water supply without fear.

"An understatement, I'm afraid." She admitted. "All his life, he has lived in conflict and violence. I suspect he would rather like you though; respect you, for what you're trying to do. It's possible he might even seek an... alliance. Provided he were the dominant one in the relationship."

"Hmm." Ivy considered that. "That is the typical problem with males, I'm afraid."

"Mm." Talia agreed, looking down at Lilhy.

"Six-hundred fifty years." Ivy considered. "Before LGBT peoples became widely accepted in the world."

"Not all the world. Many places in the middle-east, Africa, even Russia still have far to go." Talia put forward.

"I take it he is of that mind then, a bigot? Like most people are about plant life." Ivy guessed.

"Mm, yes; I suppose he is, in his way. He would never approve of my love for Lilhy; that is the important part. I'm sure he would try to have her killed were he to know I wished to marry her. And, since I have asked her to marry me, it's obviously necessary to... strike first." Talia told her with simple honesty. "And, with M'gann, I can be assured of success; at least reasonably so."

Ivy smiled a little. "It seems he taught you to well then, how to be dangerous and ruthless."

Talia simply smiled just a little at that.

"Tell me more about his views though; you said they were similar to mine? Are yours then as well?" Ivy asked.

"Before you do, I think I'll excuse myself and go try to talk with Silver over there." Lilhy smiled to Talia. "You know this sort of thing isn't..." She sighed.

"You'd rather smell the flowers than talk about the politics of them?" Talia smiled softly to her. "I know. Go." She acceded gently, stroking her face.

"Have fun." Lilhy told her.

"You two are good together." Ivy complemented.

"We are, aren't we?" Talia smiled, delighted. "It's so... nice to hear someone else say so. Someone with an open mind."

"Mm." Ivy smiled a little. "No so open as that. I've never really cared for the company of straight people... not usually. Not that I hate them, I just... don't get along I suppose. Do you think that makes me a bigot?" She asked curiously.

"To a degree, I suppose it might. Only you could say for sure, I imagine. I can... understand the sentiment though, of course." Talia confessed. "It's just more... comfortable, with people who are like you." She admitted. "It's human nature, I suppose."

"I suppose..." Ivy considered, not really feeling all too great about it, actually. She often thought her feelings in this regard weren't what she'd like them to be. She wished she were more... tolerant sometimes. She just... wasn't though; so she did her best not to let it affect her actions too much. "So, we were talking about... the politics of flowers? Yours and your fathers? You said they were similar to my own, um, outlook?"

"They are..." Talia agreed. "Recently in fact..." She looked off into the woods. "He plotted to use the pits--combust them as volcanoes--kill off most of the human population, wholesale. The pits would have caused a... revitalization. Of the natural world; of plant life in particular. My... Bruce Wayne, the Batman, stopped him."

Ivy was struck by this. The scale of it. "...That's... monstrous... I can see the thinking behind it of course; but, to kill so many... and the plants, they would grow, but so many would be killed in the process, too."

Talia smiled a little. "I'm a little surprised to hear you say that." She admitted. "I thought you would have approved."

"No... I would not." Ivy answered solemnly. "Despite how much... I... I would not do that; not unless the state of things grew significantly more desperate. There is good in humanity..." She looked over to Silver and saw her look back, smiling. Ivy smiled back to her. "So much good." She looked back to Talia. "Also so much potential for... extremes. Especially in men, as they tend to be more... forceful. All I'm trying to do is... prune back... the more harmful aspects of the species. Bring justice to the worst in humanity--the rich, the governments, the corporations, the rotting societal customs and behaviors that have grown diseased from inattention--so that, hopefully, the best in humanity can better thrive, and learn to be at peace with the other inhabitants of this world." Ivy thought about it. "I suppose, at the root of it, I want to teach humanity a better way to live; in harmony with the green world around them."

Talia smiled softly. "M'gann never said how... inspiring you could be." She complemented.

"You think so?" Ivy asked, smiling softly. "Thank you... It's nice to have someone say that."

"I suppose most people would call you crazy for saying things like that, wouldn't they? Me as well for believing you." Talia offered.

Ivy smiled to her, genuinely delighted, and feeling a good deal less alone in the world for having talked with this woman. "...And, after your father is dead? What are your plans then?" She asked softly.

"Besides marriage, you mean?" She asked, looking over at Lilhy and Silver, who were getting along very well by the look of it.

"Besides that, yes. Though, I hope you'll invite me to the wedding. You're officially invited to mine and Silver's by the way." She offered.

"Of course, I'd be honored." Talia answered, just a little shyly. She felt a little heady in fact, the longer she was with Ivy. It wasn't attraction or anything; it was just... It felt so good being around her. She had this energy about her; and the way she looked at you, made her feel so special, like she was the only other person in the world at times. "And... as for my plans after my father is dealt with... for that, I think I would very much like to help you with yours--help you in your cause--if that's something you want. I'll have my father's resources--his connections and man-power--they can all be bent to... to our goals." She offered, liking that Ivy seemed happy by the use of the word 'our', where her father would have bristled at the very idea of any such plan that was not 'his'. "And... my sister, Nyssa; I think she could be convinced to aid us too. She and my father have been rivals, and... I haven't been able to see her as much as I'd like; but... I know she would help. If for no other reason than to spite the memory of our father." She told Ivy thoughtfully.

\--- M'GANN ---

(again, happening at the same time as the other two conversations)

After trying to wake Derick and Tim, unsuccessfully, M'gann determined it best for her and Lina to tie them up just in case. Because if they woke, she was reasonably certain they wouldn't be under her control anymore, and she'd have no way of knowing they'd awakened. And, while they would obviously know they weren't a match for her themselves, they could escape and bring help. Even J'onn, and she very much didn't want to have to try to explain to him why she was helping a serial killer. J'onn was a very open minded sort of individual, but... just the same, that particular conversation was one she wanted to put off as long as possible. At least until after she had Artemis back. And besides, even if J'onn could accept it, Kal probably wouldn't and she honestly had no idea how Kara would react. Maybe Helena would understand though, she'd considered. As Huntress, she was no stranger to taking the law into her own hands, after all. That included killing the guilty when she thought it was best.

Once Derick and Tim were secure and as comfortable as they could make them, she and Lina went to see Nina. Lina had been mostly silent as she'd helped her with tying up their captives. M'gann could tell she wasn't at all comfortable with it; but, to her credit, she did it anyway. Soon, M'gann stood in the doorway and looked at Nina, who looked like she were only sleeping. She looked cute and pretty, and M'gann couldn't help but remember how it had felt to touch her, make love with her, be inside her mind. She still knew everything about this woman. Those memories and feelings would always be a part of her now, much as she may wish it had never happened. Nina would always be a part of her, like Lina and Shelley would. Lina walked by her and sat on the bed then looked over to her, and their eyes met and M'gann felt startled by what she saw there for a moment.

It was not unlike looking into Artemis's eyes. Seeing that amount of true love and real longing there. "Lina..." M'gann stepped forward.

"I want to help you." Lina spoke. "You should be with her." She told her. "She makes you happy."

M'gann was stopped in her tracks. "Lina... thank you." She replied softly as she came into the room and sat beside her.

"I love you; I can't... I want..." Lina couldn't keep going apparently and M'gann wanted to hug her but just... didn't feel comfortable enough to do that.

"Why do you think you fell in love with me, I wonder...?" M'gann asked, looking curiously into her eyes.

Lina smiled softly. "I felt... I felt like I -was- you for a while there. I mean, I know everything about you, don't I?"

"You know everything about Nina; are you in love with her?" M'gann asked.

"No... I mean, I do love her, just... not like that." Lina answered softly, looking away.

"Why?" M'gann asked gently.

Lina looked back, their eyes meeting again. "She's not you." Lina answered honestly.

M'gann smiled faintly and looked away, over at Nina. "That's not really an answer, you know." She told her.

"No; I guess it's not, is it?" Lina admitted, holding her arms across her chest and looking down at her knees. "And I don't know what to say; how to answer... It just... You just... It's like, you just fell into some place inside of me; in my heart, and... I just feel like; I want... Like I'd do just about anything just to see your smile one more time, or have you look at me, so I know you really see me."

"Oh, Lina..." M'gann spoke softly; turmoil, doubt, and guilt roiling inside her. And again, she was at a loss for what to say or how to feel about this. About her.

"I know; I know it's probably wrong, alright? You love her; you're... taken. In a strange way, I sort of even love her too; Artemis. Or, at least the you that's inside me does. But I just love you. I can't help how I feel. I kind of wish maybe you'd... I don't know, take us both? After you bring her back. But I know, she'd hate that idea, wouldn't she?" Lina smiled a little softly, finally meeting M'gann's gaze. "She'd probably want to fight me more than kiss me." She laughed just a little and M'gann did too.

"She would." M'gann admitted softly. "Probably. But... I think she'd understand, at least."

"Yeah." Lina agreed quietly, looking away again.

"So, if you know all that... why are you still here? Do you think... Do you think maybe I'll chose you over her? Or maybe..." M'gann smiled. "Maybe you can convince her to have a threesome after all? I'd kind of want to see that, actually." M'gann smiled to herself a little, thinking how funny that would be.... to watch from a safe distance. While invisible.

Lina smiled. "No." She met M'gann's curious regard again. "I just want to see you happy again. I mean, if I can't have you, can't be the one to do that for you, I at least want to make sure you find that with her again. I want to see you with her again, for myself. So I'll know... that you're loved. Then I think I could find a way to move on, find someone else."

M'gann just looked at her for a moment; so vulnerable, laying her feeling bare and knowing they probably wouldn't ever be returned. She couldn't help it... feeling love for this woman. It wasn't enough to make her chose her over Artemis; there wasn't really a choice for her, or anywhere in her, about that. Artemis would always be... She was her mate, and that was writ in her so deep it simply could not be otherwise for her anymore. She could never picture not wanting her more than anyone or anything else. Still... she got up and walked over to Lina, bent over, and kissed her on the forehead, then caressed her cheek and tilted her head up to meet her eyes. She didn't say anything at first, wasn't sure what to say, then tears started to fall from Lina's eyes. "Oh, Lina, no..." She sat beside her on the bed and hugged her. Lina hugged her back fiercely.

"Don't look at me like that; I can't take it..." Lina asked her roughly.

M'gann just held her back. This was so hard. She hated--just hated--the idea of hurting Lina as badly as she knew she must be hurting her. She wanted to make it right; wanted to give her her wish somehow, give herself to her somehow, or... No, even if she had her telepathy back, she wouldn't try to make Lina forget. She knew from experience. If, after Artemis had died, someone had offered to make her forget, she would have wanted to kill them just for offering that.

"Why does it have to be so hard?" M'gann pleaded softly, feeling ragged inside. Her life had always been so very hard... She'd found times of great joy, happiness, and love; but she'd had to bite and scratch forward every bit of the way to get there--and whenever she did, it seemed like someone or something always came and ripped it all away sooner or later. Would that happen again? When she got Artemis back; would something happen again? Would someone just come along and take it from her again? She'd kill them, she determined; she'd destroy anyone or anything who tried. She just... She wouldn't let it happen again. No matter what.

"Wish I knew." Lina answered, relaxing a little in M'gann's arms. M'gann soon let her go and sat there next to her, holding her hand and looking into her eyes.

"...I wish I could be who you needed me to be." M'gann told softly, looking down at her lap. "I wish a lot of things. Maybe that's been my problem." She let go of Lina's hand and went over on the bed next to Nina. "I'm going to try again..." She took one of Nina's hands in both of hers and looked to Lina. "It might help if you held her other hand?" She offered.

"Of course." Lina agreed, hurrying to comply; sitting on the other side of their former lover and taking up her left hand the way M'gann was her right. "Do I need to, I don't know, think certain thoughts or something?" She asked.

"No; just sort of... listen--except, um, with your thoughts?" M'gann asked. "Try to hear me. Try to hear her. Try to find me. If you do, try to hold onto what you hear; it might give me a... a guide. Like... like a lighthouse?" She offered.

She could see Lina understood what she meant like she hoped she would. She smiled to her, and Lina looked away a little shyly; M'gann chiding herself for doing that. It could have looked a lot like flirting, and that was just, well, a little cruel. She remembered having feelings for girls who didn't feel the same way. With her own people, she wasn't seen as a... a good potential mate. She didn't show strength. None of the girls she liked paid any attention to her, or, at least, not the kind of attention she'd wanted from them. After she'd gone to live with the green Martians, she'd had a few heartbreaks there as well. She'd finally found a girl to be her girlfriend, and it had been... really nice, for a while. But she hadn't... they never really connected on the deepest levels; not the way she had with Artemis. Though M'gann hadn't realized that at the time. G'yal, M'gann remembered her name; her first real girlfriend. They'd moved into the same room together; M'gann remembered thinking how big a deal that was, how great a feeling it was to have someone to be her... her one. Her mate. G'yal had died in the fire plague of course. M'gann found she rarely thought of her anymore. After the plague, she'd clung to the memory of her of course; even had imaginary conversations with her sometimes when she'd got to feeling especially alone. But then she'd met Artemis, and everything had changed for her. Everything.

She looked across at Lina and their eyes met briefly; but that time it was M'gann who looked away. She'd changed things in nearly that same way for Lina, she could tell. When you met someone like that, your life was forever split. A line drawn, burned into you. There was before Artemis, and there was after. You never confused the two; never. Would that be how Lina looked back on her? The prospect of it scared her. Because she couldn't even think... even imagine... how would it feel if Artemis rejected her? She couldn't even face imagining it. And that was what she might be doing to Lina right now. And she knew it was all her fault too. That she'd done this to her. So in that moment, she knew, she had to find some way to make it better. She didn't have a clue how she would do it, she just knew she had to somehow. If there was a way to bring the love of her life back to her from beyond even death, there had to be a way to make things right with Lina. There had to be. She just had to find it.

For the next couple hours, M'gann and Lina sat there silently, patiently--Lina never speaking, while M'gann tried again and again to reach Nina; to work through the blindness that had taken her telepathy and bring Nina back from what she'd unintentionally done to her. It hurt, like trying to move a broken limb, but she did it anyway. Tried to work in small steps first, just little things--try to sense just a feeling, a thought, something. And as she practiced, it did start to hurt less. And she imagined she might have caught the faintest whisper of something a few times, she wasn't really sure. At last though, she sighed and let go of Nina's hand; brushed her hand through Nina's bangs a little. "It's no use." She admitted, looking up at Lina.

"No? When... um, you'll heal yourself eventually though, right?" Lina asked hopefully.

"Mm." M'gann nodded yes. "If I keep at it; keep practicing, keep trying to rebuild what's been lost in me, it'll come back, but... It will probably take a year at least I think." She admitted in defeat. "The only other way would be for me to..."

"Go to J'onn for help?" Lina asked, obviously having suspected that would be the case.

M'gann smiled a little. "Yeah." She admitted. "I guess we both knew that would probably be the case going in, huh? I just hoped I was wrong."

"I did too." Lina smiled softly to her.

"Um, we should probably at least give her a bath though, don't you think?" M'gann put forward.

"I know I'd want one, if I were her." Lina considered.

"Right." M'gann agreed gently, purposefully not smiling to her this time.

This wasn't going to be easy. Not the bath, but that she now somehow found herself in the center of a love triangle that she didn't want to be in. Someone was almost certainly going to be hurt badly, M'gann knew, but she also knew she was going to try her best to not let it happen somehow.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(to be continued)


	11. Unexpected

PART 11: UNEXPECTED

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

\--- CATALINA ---

Later, in the afternoon, Lina gathered around the television with her new... well, she didn't want to say gang of terrorists, but she knew that's probably what they'd be labeled after today if anyone found out it was them behind this. M'gann, Viv (who everyone but her seemed to call 'Ivy' now), Silver St. Cloud, Talia Head, Lilhy, and her.

News was just coming in about the attack. Footage of police cars and emergency vehicles pulling in, cordoning off the area, evacuating people from the lower floors of the building and the surrounding area. The news anchor was calling this an act of domestic terrorism. The whole scene playing out in front of her, it sent a chill through her. In her head, she'd known this was the sort of thing Viv was heading towards doing. She'd known that; but, seeing it for real like this... She couldn't help but think 'this is wrong'. That there just had to be... some better way. She was an attorney; a damn good one. She'd worked for NPOs mostly; did a year with social services out of college. She knew the system didn't work a lot of the time, and obviously not at all for what Viv was after. Justice for plants. Which would, as a happy consequence, also save the human race from extension if things went on the way they were going. She did realize that. All the new memories inside her told her that clearly. But the part of her that was just... her; that part just was... very averse to this whole situation.

She kind of wanted to run away and just forget all of this ever happened--forget about Viv Isley and everything to do with her--even though she did find herself kind of wanting to be friends with her again somehow. And she might have done that; she might have snuck off, gotten Derick and Tim (though how she'd manage to stop Derick from coming after Viv again, she had no idea), and left... If it weren't for M'gann. How she felt about her. She'd never... never felt even close to this... intensely, about someone before. She'd thought what she'd had with Derick Grayson had been true love, but now she realized it had just been... comfort, and maybe lust too; because, really, if there was another man on the planet who looked better with his clothes off, or was better in bed, she'd seriously like to meet him. But, and this was such a crazy thing, if she compared that in her head--as great as it felt to be with him, as addictive as that smile of his could be--if she compared the feeling of it, with just the feeling she got when M'gann touched her cheek and looked into her eyes the way she did, there... there just wasn't any comparison for her. M'gann just seemed to... touch something, deep inside her, that made her come alive more than she'd even known was possible--gave her this feeling, this glow, like magic. It was just so... And she knew her, so completely well; she still remembered what it was like to believe for a while that she -was- her. She remembered all the struggles M'gann went though, and how she had such a completely beautiful soul inside her; that it just couldn't be hidden away, not even among all the social pressures, ridicule, and rejection she'd suffered through growing up. How, even with everything she'd gone through, at her core, she was still just the same, at heart. So much... joy, just wishing so hard to get out. She knew how--she knew she could make herself believe that she was M'gann again any time she wanted--lose herself in that. And, in fact she was, actually, slowly, letting parts of M'gann's memories and personality, parts of Shelley and Nina and Artemis and even G'yal, M'gann's first mate, seep into her primary self. She knew how to do that now; how to integrate parts of the memories and feelings she had inside her, partitioned away separately from her own memories and feelings, and make them part of her--just pick and chose. She kind of thought, if she made herself... better--gave herself more of Artemis's traits especially--then maybe she'd have a better chance at winning M'gann for herself. That, and she liked it--liked how it felt to... expand her mind--feel someone else's feelings, remember someone else's life. It made her feel... less alone; more secure in herself. For instance, she'd never been with a woman before, but M'gann, Shelley, Nina, G'yal--they were all lesbians, and Artemis had been bisexual, but had mostly been with women. She remembered every time they'd made love--every touch, every feeling--almost as though she'd experienced them herself. If she really took those memories inside her, made them a part of her, then it was just like that, to where she honestly couldn't tell very easily it hadn't been her living them--just, as someone else. And it felt so good; so amazing. She remembered making love to M'gann and being M'gann being made love to at the same time. And she wanted, more than anything, to make memories of her own like that--to be able to remember her own fingers, her own lips, skin, everything against M'gann's--to have her look at her the way she remembered her looking at Artemis. Well, she wanted that without being so out of her head mind-drunk that she couldn't remember it properly. So, really, if she had to be labeled a terrorist to have even a chance at that, she was willing to. It was for a good cause, after all. She knew, Lex Luthor was about as evil a scum bag as there was in the world--she wasn't exactly going to lose sleep over his death or anything. And she did want to try to be friends with Viv again, if she were honest. Despite everything.

So she'd stay. Of course she would. She was in this; she knew she was--knew she had to be--that her heart wouldn't let her not be. She was here; right now. And right now, she was sitting next to M'gann, trying not to think about the fact that she was sitting next to M'gann. It was hard not to think about being this close to her. She itched to just reach over and take M'gann's hand in hers. It would just be a small thing, really; it wouldn't mean M'gann was cheating on Artemis or anything. Except, she knew M'gann wouldn't see it that way. She'd just gotten M'gann to open up to her again; see her as, she guessed as something like a friend, and she didn't want to risk losing that. M'gann would close herself off to her again is she were even that forward with her. It was kind of torturous. She just wanted to climb on M'gann's lap and kiss her senseless; push her down, make love to her, hear her say her name, not anyone else's... She stubbornly clenched her fists and tried to distract herself by listening to what the news anchor was saying on TV. The -cute- news anchor, she considered. Huh, she thought to herself, watching the woman on TV more avidly now; thankful for the distraction. The way her lips moved when she talked; her eyes, the way her hair fell around her face in such a pleasing way that just made Lina want to reach out and touch it. She'd never had these sorts of feelings before--not as herself at least--not before what Viv did to her. Just idly checking out another woman because she was hot.

Then the news anchor, Angela Chen it said her name was on the bottom of the screen, told her audience she was just getting a report in: Lex Luthor was alive--he'd survived somehow. Everyone else that had been at his party was dead, but he was alive somehow.

"Damn it!" Viv stood up and looked like she wanted to throw something at the TV, but Silver got up too and went to her; which seemed to calm her down instantly. Which caused an immediate surge of jealousy in Lina. She wanted to be that person for M'gann; she wanted what Viv and Silver had.

"How bad is this, do we think?" Lina asked out loud, wanting to be useful. Supportive. If this was what M'gann was doing, who her circle of friends were becoming, she wanted to be included. Needed to be.

"There's no way to know." Talia replied.

"Potentially very, very bad." M'gann spoke. "Even J'onn and his mate are careful of him. We need to strike again, fast. I should do it."

Ivy looked to M'gann; their eyes met. Ivy closed her eyes and lowered her head; acceding that M'gann was right. "Thank you." Ivy met her eyes again. "I know, this is my cause and..."

"Shh." M'gann stilled Ivy's lips with her thumb; touching her cheek gently with her hand. "It's alright. We're... We're friends." M'gann told with a little of a trusting smile, turning and fading away into this air.

"M'gann..." Lina called after her softly, getting up and moving after her a step, but then stopping and looking over at Viv, unable to help narrowing her eyes at her. "She better not be hurt." She accused, turning and leaving the room. Wanting to be alone right then. She was worried; the idea of M'gann putting herself in danger--it just scared her. Even though she knew how strong the woman she was in love with was; it still scared her. She hated it.

"Lina, wait." She got a little ways down the hallway before she heard Viv call after her.

Lina stopped, but didn't turn around. Viv came around in front of her and touched her chin, tilting her head up a little so their eyes met. "What do you want, Viv?" Lina asked, a little guardedly; feeling like she was shaking a little inside, and feeling a little insecure about herself with Viv looking at her like that for some reason. Somehow not able to help the feeling that she used to get when Viv looked at her like that back when they were best friends in college; that Viv knew every dark little secret in her head and she just never let on. She'd actually kind of liked that look back then; now it was just kind of disconcerting in that it kind of made her want to kiss her, not make a joke like she used to do when Viv looked at her like that, and she didn't quite know how to handle that.

"You're mad at me." Viv offered, a little of a question in her voice.

Lina sighed and tried to let go of the tension that had been building up inside her. "What if I am?" She challenged.

"I want to, um, get you to not be?" Viv asked in that endearingly helpless way she always used to use on her to get her to forgive her for something or do what she wanted or whatever.

Lina smiled a little. "Yeah, well, I also kind of want to fuck you, which I didn't used to, so it's a little confusing."

"Huh, and to think of all the times I wanted you to say something like that to me." Viv observed a little softly.

"Yeah, well, it seems like I'm newly lesbian, so, whatever. And I'm not in love with you; not, um, well, I guess... damn it Viv, I hate feeling like this!" She shrugged off Viv's hands and backed away, leaning against the wall and looking at the other side of the hallway. "I'm scared for her." She confessed softly.

"You're in love--of course you're scared for her." Viv tried to comfort her in a gentle voice that sent a few shivers though Lina's whole body, Viv standing in front of her and taking both her hands in hers. "She'll be okay. You have to trust she will."

Lina met her eyes and sighed again. "Thanks." She offered back softly.

"Still friends?" Viv asked, sounding a little unsure of herself and vulnerable.

"...Still friends." Lina agreed reluctantly.

"Good. I'm relieved." Viv replied.

"Blah, blah." Lina smiled a little, saying something she used to say to Viv from before to break the tension, letting go of Viv's hands and looking into her eyes a little.

"Right, blah... You really wanted to fuck me?" Viv asked with a little of a crooked smile.

Lina felt her cheeks flush a little. "You're not going to let me forget I said that, are you?"

"Uh-uh." Viv smiled. "So, how bad is this yearning of yours anyway?"

"Yearning? You really just said yearning?" Lina teased.

"I really did." Viv countered. "So? Spill."

Lina looked at the way her friend's eyes were dancing, the way she was smiling like she knew everything, and she couldn't help it, she kissed her. A little tentatively at first, then she got into it, and backed Viv up against the wall with a little of a thud. Viv was noticeably surprised, but she didn't resist--she kissed her back. Lina found herself groping Viv too, feeling her body press into hers; it sent shocks of feeling through her--much stronger than she'd expected. She stopped and pulled herself away from Viv.

Their eyes met and held, nether spoke.

Viv touched her lips, like she couldn't quite believe that what had just happened, had just happened.

"Damn it!" Lina closed her eyes and grit her teeth, turning and running away down the hall. This time she didn't hear Viv call after her and tell her to wait up, though she kind of wished she had.

"Fuck..." She spoke in a whisper, closing the door of her room and leaning against it, letting herself slide down to the floor to sit. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck..." She tangled her hands in her hair and started to cry.

After a while, she got up and walked to the bed. "I don't want her, I want M'gann." She told herself. "I don't want her, I don't." She repeated, going to sit against the headboard of the bed.

And it was still true; she was in love with M'gann-- crazy in love with her. But, now she couldn't deny that she... She had real feelings for Viv too. "And they're both taken." She muttered to herself in disgust. "I must really be messed up. Probably my karmic debt for hating Talia over Lilhy. It would just figure." She muttered in defeat.

She looked at the bed in front of her, where she'd first really met M'gann M'orzz. She'd met her a few times before that, of course; but they hadn't more than exchanged pleasantries, really. She tried to think what she'd thought of her, and she couldn't remember at first, so she used some Martian memory techniques to bring the memory up. She'd thought... she'd thought 'she looks sad, I wonder why?' Now, of course, she knew; and now, of course, she was sad too.

\--- IVY ---

Ivy just stood there against the wall, watching Lina run away from her. She looked down at her hands then, which had been around Lina's waist. She kind of felt like she was in shock. She hadn't really thought... They'd bantered about it, there had been flirting--but she hadn't really thought Lina was serious about it. Not really. She swallowed a lump in her throat and felt like she might cry, so she tried very hard not to. "Damn... damn, darn, damn it..." She muttered to herself, touching her lips again.

This wasn't a small thing to her; it would be stupidly delusional of her to tell herself it ever could be. Catalina Flores had -kissed- her. Not just a small kiss either, a kiss that said 'I want to take you to bed and have my way with you... for a week.' Her heart was racing, her skin felt warm. She'd told herself she was over this, but it was so obvious she wasn't. She was in love with her, she always had been--maybe always would be. She looked ahead of her and saw the door to the room where Silver was probably waiting for her. She froze; felt guilty--had no idea what she was supposed to do next.

Then the feeling passed and she walked fast back to the room, back to Silver. When she came in the door, Silver was sitting there on the couch, curled up in the corner, absently stroking the leaves of the plant next to the couch and looking lost in thought; the TV still on in the background. Her lover seemed to really notice her then, and turn, their eyes met, and Ivy knew Silver knew something was wrong. They didn't have that... When Silver had been so thoroughly wrapped up under her influence the last day or so, the link they'd had had been so intense. It was still there of course; they still knew where each other were at all times, and there was still a very definite connection there... It was just... This thing in the background with them; like they just... knew each other somehow, the way one plant would know another, except a little different. "Silver I... Um, where did the others go?" She asked, walking over to turn off the TV then going over to her.

"Out to the garden. Lilhy wanted to meet Raul and Gustav." The two men were out in the yard, looking after Nina and Shelley. They'd moved Nina out there and put her beside Shelley, hoping that would help somehow. "Apparently she's never met a gay couple before--at least not socially; as hard as that is to imagine in this day and age."

"Huh, that's um... That's..." Ivy was unsure what to do now; she met Silver's eyes and was deathly scared. She didn't want to lose her. Violently, primally, didn't want that. Just seriously thinking of the possibility made her feel sick, and a little dizzy. "Silver, I..." She couldn't say it. She just couldn't.

Silver got up off the couch though, and came over to her and kissed her. Pressing their bodies together, so close--her hands--Ivy just responded on instinct; deep, familiar, beautiful instinct. Silver was hers. That had become essential truth to her. It had to be. Had to. She let herself get a little lost in the kiss; felt herself relax some, and start to feel a lot better--a lot more centered and able to think rationally. "Whatever it is..." Silver answered softly, just a breath away, after breaking off the kiss. "It won't change that we'll always be together... So just tell me."

Ivy met her eyes, and couldn't help but trust and do what Silver asked. "Lina kissed me; in the hallway. I... I let her."

Silver looked surprised, but she smiled a little, which surprised Ivy more. "How was it?" She asked a little playfully, a look in her eyes that also spoke of that sharp intellect of hers doing some quick assessments.

"...I..." Ivy narrowed her eyes a little at Silver. "Why aren't you mad at me?" She asked, little angry that her lover apparently wasn't angry about this.

"Why would I be? You're still mine, aren't you?" Silver asked, subtly almost daring Ivy to say otherwise. Ivy also suddenly got the feeling that Silver was being like this probably -because- she was more upset with her than she was letting on. She didn't like playing this game though, not at all.

"Of course I am." Ivy promised a little icily. "I fuck well always will be--that's not the point."

Silver met her gaze daringly. "It is for me." She answered, her voice becoming more heart-felt. "I know it's... really an issue for you; but for me... Honestly, it's really not... As long as I know I still have you." She told her softly. "Besides... I have an idea of what she means to you. And that matters a lot."

Hearing Silver say that, it hurt, it just did. She couldn't help it. She thought back to Hailey, and how she was on the other side now. Only, she was still the one to blame, wasn't she? But even if Silver was unfaithful to her back one day, she wouldn't be Hailey in this equation; she wasn't about to leave Silver--certainly not over something like this. If... if that's how Silver felt, she could live with that. Maybe... maybe things between them would change, if she just gave it time. Maybe all Silver needed was more time. And it wasn't like she really had any ground to stand on at the moment either, she had to admit. What with the kiss she'd let happen.

Ivy sighed. "I'm sorry..." She offered, leaning her forehead against Silver.

"Don't be. I... I like that you feel this way about me. It... It means... everything to me." She admitted softly, moving in closer. "Besides, you're cute when you swear like that and look so helpless, not knowing what to say."

Ivy smiled at that, and nuzzled Silver's neck, giving her a soft, chaste kiss. "I love you so much."

"...And... how do you feel about her, then? About Lina?" Silver asked without judgment.

Ivy turned her head to the side and walked past Silver to go sit on the couch; Silver immediately following and sitting beside her, leaning against her in a way that said she was still very much in love and that nothing at all was wrong between them for her, which did make Ivy feel much better (if still somewhat cast adrift).

"You can tell me." Silver prompted again, kissing her chin and snuggling up to her more.

"I know, it's just... I, I honestly didn't know I still had these... These kinds of feelings for her. I swear--I would have told you if I'd known..." She promised.

"And... What are these feelings, exactly?" Silver asked, sounding a little uneasy now. Which, strangely, made Ivy feel much better.

"...I... I don't think I've ever stopped being in love with her." She admitted softly. "I don't know if I ever could..."

"...Oh." Silver answered just as softly.

"I'm not going to do anything about it." Ivy told her, turning and guiding Silver's chin up so their eyes met. "And I... No one--I've never loved anyone, not even her, as much as I love you, Silver St. Cloud. I'd always choose you, alight? Always."

"...And I'll always chose you." Silver promised, moving in to kiss her. "Never doubt that, Ivy... Never..." She promised softly between kisses. The kiss turned into more touching and Silver got up and took her clothes off while Ivy watched then climbed onto her lap and pushed her down onto her back.

Ivy caught a glimpse of Silver's eyes then, and she felt so much better. So relieved, just so incredibly relieved. What she had with Silver was strong, as strong as she'd hoped even--even if perhaps not in the way she'd assumed it would be--and that made her feel so good she didn't have words for it.

Silver's lips left hers and she started taking Ivy's clothes off, Ivy helping; then Silver started kissing her neck. One of Silver's hands found one of Ivy's tits and then Silver's mouth was on her other tit, suckling and nipping at her nipple. Ivy gently held her head and bit her lip a little as she felt herself arch her back and close her eyes; her body just coming so very alive at her lover's touch. When Silver touched her, everything was beautiful, and the world seemed perfect--because the world, for her, was them, and the green flowing through them, and the sunlight and air and warmth of the world under them.

"Oh, Silver, yes..." Ivy breathed as Silver switched tits and snuggled into her body again. Ivy held her close, her eyes open and going unfocused. She didn't really pay attention to what her eyes saw, just how Silver was making her feel. Soon, Silver let go of her tit and kissed her again, hungrily--her hand sliding down between them and finding Ivy's sex--her fingers tracing her opening, feeling it wet and ready for her, then dipping her fingers in a little way, sending, warm, delicious feelings of pleasure through her. Her lover was being delicate, but she knew just how to touch her to make her melt.

"I want you in me, too..." Silver broke off their kissing long enough to whisper into her ear.

Ivy moaned; Silver's voice making her feel even more turned on. She obediently slid her hand from Silver's lower back, around between them, finding her sex spread, dripping wet, and waiting for her. She slid her finger inside and Silver gave a little gasp of pleasure.

"Yes, just like that..." Silver breathed, starting to kiss Ivy's neck and nip a little at her ear.

They soon fell into a gentle rhythm between them, both of them trying to draw this out longer. Silver stopped kissing her and just lay her head against the sofa next to her. Holding Ivy's shoulder with her hand, she moved that had to Ivy's face, caressing her. Ivy nipped at her thumb and took it into her mouth for a bit, her own free hand now on the back of Silver's head. Their breathing came faster and Ivy knew she couldn't hold on all that much longer; she could hardly even think anymore. She'd been trying to memorize every touch, every sensation, everything about this, but she just couldn't focus anymore. Then Silver raised herself up with her hand and looked down into her eyes and Ivy had to tell herself to breathe, it was such a profound thing. Ivy just kept looking back into those eyes, full of love and trust, passion, and so many emotions and feelings that just thrilled her. Nether spoke, they just breathed together, their fingers pleasing each other as they moved in sync with thoughtless ease. Soon the were climaxing together and Silver closed her eyes and cried out; so did Ivy. There was no way to tell really, how long the orgasm went--it was just bliss--and then Silver was collapsing on top of her and Ivy was holding her close and it was so perfect.

They lay there a little while, Ivy stroking Silver's hair. "Ivy... Really... I'm yours, and you're mine, remember? I believe in that, more than I do anything else at this point... I believe our love is more than strong enough to share it with other women. So, if you... If you want Lina as a lover--if you -love- her like I know you do--then you have my complete blessing to pursue it. I... I actually kind of like the idea, honestly. She's part of your past, part of you in a way... And besides, if you love her, I'll fall in love with her too. I'm sure... If you don't though--if you want it to be just us for the rest of our lives--well, I certainly wouldn't have a problem with -that- either... Not at all..." She smiled softly to her.

Ivy looked up at the ceiling, silent. Would she want that? Would she? Part of her was a little thrilled at the idea, but another part dreaded it--felt it was such a very bad idea. And how Silver was being about this, she honestly wasn't sure what to make of it. Silver was just being... so devoted to her again. In a small way, she could almost believe nothing had really changed between them at times, except it was so obvious it had changed, so much. And it was so much better too. She'd been right; it was so much better, having Silver really, freely hers--no strings. Even though it was proving to be harder, more complicated perhaps... She felt fulfilled in a way she'd never felt before in her life--not even when things were at their best with Hailey. Which meant she had so much to lose. What should she do?

"I need... I need time to think about it." Ivy answered finally.

"Mm, okay." Silver agreed easily, getting up a little and cupping Ivy's chin gently, guiding her so their eyes met again. "It's not a major issue for me, either way, alright? I want you to know that... There's not a chance you could lose me over something like this; there's just not." She closed her eyes and swallowed, bringing her hand to Ivy's chest, over her heart, and taking one of Ivy's hands and moving it to her own heart. "It's this that matters--that we're linked, here. That I'll... That I'll always be in love with you, and you'll always be in love with me--no matter what. Because I will Ivy--no matter what you do, or... or who you kiss in what hallway." She smiled. "I'll still be in love with you--I'll still want you. Want to be with you. Because, in my heart, I trust you... You've earned that from me. That and more. It's the same for you, isn't it?" She asked, such and open and vulnerable, and trusting look in her eyes.

"I..." Ivy was having trouble remembering to breathe again. "Yes, yes of course it is!" She spoke eagerly. "Yes--world of yes." She kissed her and kissed her again, her heart feeling like a giant weight had been lifted from it that she hadn't known she'd been carrying. Because the thing was, when Silver said that, Ivy believed it--really believed it--just trusted it... completely, and knew in her heart that she was being told the truth. And that was the one thing in all the world she had wanted so badly to know. And now she did.

They made love again a few times and Ivy was left feeling... the best she had felt in her entire life, really.

Oh, she was still worried about the future--the planet, the green, M'gann, Luthor, al Ghul, etc..., but she wasn't worried about losing Silver anymore, and that... That was the best feeling she'd ever had... to know that, where it mattered the most for her, she stood on sure, solid ground.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(to be continued)


	12. Hope And Mercy

PART 12: HOPE AND MERCY

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

\--- M'GANN ---

This would be so much easier if she still had her telepathy, M'gann thought, not for the first time, as she, having shape-changed into a twenty-something Chinese-American business-woman, walked out of a Luthor Corp. facility. She'd finally been able to find in the computers there where Lex Luthor was hiding himself away. G'yal, her first mate, had been a brilliant engineer; shifting into being her part of the way had let her access that ability. To G'yal, technology had been like an art, and M'gann had access to everything that G'yal had thought, felt, remembered, and more, so it had just taken only a little while to understand and circumvent the Luthor Corp. technology. The encryptions, even the ones at Luthor Corp., were childishly easy to get around for someone like G'yal who understood a technology that was thousands of years in the making (where as Earth's technology had had only a very short time to develop so far by comparison). All she had to do was adapt her thought process to match the way the computer operated for a little while and she, effectively, was able to understand the language very easily--basically giving her the run of the system, free and clear.

The mental exercise had felt good in fact; even had her feeling a little better. Maybe that would be a good way to help herself heal, she thought--change into different life forms, change her thought process more; maybe a few animals. Or... or maybe she'd be G'yal for a while longer, she thought nostalgically.

She walked into an alleyway and turned invisible, shifting herself, inside that invisibility, into the body of the first girl she'd fallen in love with who'd loved her back; bringing those memories to the forefront of her mind and becoming her to a strong degree. It felt... it felt really good. Warm. Almost like her first mate was wrapping her in her arms again; merging her mind with hers again. She shivered a little and smiled, feeling so comforted, and then it happened; like flipping a switch, her telepathy was back. She smiled again, a little darkly this time; because it would be so much easier now. Of course that would have worked, she realized. She may have badly damaged her own thought-mechanisms for telepathy, but... She'd always kept her copy of G'yal's thoughts, memories, and feelings in a protected part of her mind--they hadn't been harmed at all, and, overlaying them onto herself as thoroughly as she'd just done, of course it would fix her. She let the G'yal part of her recede a little then, letting the hunter inside of her take precedence; that's what she'd need to be now.

Lex Luthor was standing between her and getting Artemis back right now, and he had no idea how very dangerous a place that was to be. But she would show him.

It only took her moments from there to reach her destination--a mansion out by the coast that Luthor owned; his primary residence. When she got into its close airspace though, and tried to use her telepathy, she got feedback which was a little uncomfortable on the still somewhat recovering telepathic center of her mind. Frustrated and annoyed at this, she lashed out with a telekinetic force blast at the center of the mind-noise that was obstructing her and smashed the machine that was putting it out.

At that point, various types of guns made themselves known by shooting at her. She deflected or dodged them, used telekinetic blasts and heat vision to destroy them. Her invisibility obviously hadn't stopped her from being seen by Luthor's technology, so she went visible to give herself more room to concentrate her full energies on the problem at hand. Some missiles were launched; she sent them back at the house, in essence bombing it. Security personnel in armored flight suites came out and started shooting at her; she tried to put them to sleep with no success. They all had personal thought-shields around them. M'gann was certain she could punch through them or disarm them telekinetically, then put them to sleep, but she decided to just engage them physically; cutting through them and killing them in less than a minute. Their armor had been fearsome looking, and they had flame-throwers and bullets that would burn her if they could hit her, but she simply moved too fast for them and struck too precisely with too much force, morphing her arms into ultra-dense cutting blades that cut through their armors easily enough.

She did a telepathic sweep of the house and found some extraneous paid servants and such, but Luthor apparently had some of his thought-shield technology on his person. He must have developed it to defend against J'onn. Well, J'onn was more forgiving than she was. She zeroed in on the signatures of the thought-shields. Because, even though she couldn't get through them easily, she could tell where they were. There were four of them.

She flew straight towards where three of them were; in a bunker, deep under the house. She was intent on just phasing through everything until she got to them, but, when she was almost to the house, the fourth mind-shield signature came up at her and broke through the roof to stand in her way. She was so surprised she didn't think to phase and Kal-El kit her as hard as she'd ever been hit in her life. She slammed into the ground with a deafening boom that shook the ground like a small earthquake.

"I should be thanking you." Kal spoke, smiling at her in a truly repulsive way. She wouldn't have thought it possible for Kal's face to even -look- like that. "This has got to be the biggest rush of my life!" And he charged down at her at super speed.

She was dazed, and hurt, but not so badly that she didn't know to phase in time so all Kal did was hit the ground. She used her telekinesis then to destroy the little micro-machine Kal had been using to mask his thoughts and was relieved to find out that the man she was fighting wasn't really Kal-El. "Everyman... Hannibal." She smiled, using her telepathy to forcefully trigger the mechanism in his mind that made him change back into himself--a run of the mill human male with no meta-powers and really repulsive thoughts. "Filth. Go away." She told, blasting him in the face with her heat-vision--burning his head to ash. His body fell to the ground and she burned the rest of it, just to be thorough (Luthor had gotten him Kal's genetic material somehow, and parts of that could still be in him); then turned her attention back to the house.

It just took seconds and she appeared from the wall of his safe room, two women taking up defensive stances between him and her. "Stop right there." One warned. She was blonde with fair skin. She fired her weapon at her and M'gann easily avoided it. She was angry and hurt and frustrated with all of this. She let the hunter in her just have this one; her features changed to her native white Martian and she was on her, sinking her teeth and claws into the woman's flesh and feasting on it.

"What sort of monster are you?!" Luthor accused in fear as he shoot at her with guns.

She easily telekinetically deflected the shots without even really thinking about it. When she was done with the woman, she looked at him, annoyed, and telekinetically shoved him into the far wall with more than the force of a semi-truck at freeway speeds. He was pulp.

"I... I surrender..." The remaining woman pleaded, dropping her gun; which she'd never fired.

M'gann stood up and looked at her curiously, morphing into G'yal's shape, liking the feel of that for now. She reached out with her telekinesis and disabled the woman's mind-shield, then looked into her mind. Her name was Hope... Hope Taya. The woman M'gann had just killed had been her lover; Mercy Graves. Seeing Hope's feelings towards Mercy, she was instantly sorry she'd killed her. "I'm... I'm sorry, Hope. I shouldn't... I wish I hadn't killed her." She offered softly. "I'll go."

"...Wait..." Hope asked as M'gann was turning to leave.

"Yes?" M'gann asked curiously.

"Why... Why did you do this?" Hope asked, somewhat in shock.

M'gann smiled. "It surprises you, doesn't it? What you'll do for a lover? For a mate?" She asked.

Hope looked her in the eyes, then lowered her gaze. "Yeah... I guess it does at that..." She admitted.

M'gann looked into her mind again. She really was in shock, wasn't she? M'gann realized. She went over to her and put her arms around her, and Hope fell into her arms and started crying. M'gann just held her and sent soothing thoughts to her. 'You're safe, I'm your friend, it'll be alright' That sort of thing.

The guilt of making this woman feel like M'gann could feel her feeling--so similar to how she'd felt after losing Artemis--it was weighing on her now. She felt like she had to do something.

She glanced over at Mercy's body; or what she'd left of it. Was there enough left for a Lazarus it to work? She had no idea. The head was still intact at least. She'd have to ask Talia to know. Another problem was that she didn't really want to bring Mercy back to life; the hunter inside her just recoiled at that, claiming the woman as her rightful prey. She'd been attacked, over and over again; she didn't want to forgive one of her attackers. But, on the other hand, Hope hadn't attacked her; otherwise she knew herself well enough to know that she would have killed her too without even really thinking about it--she wouldn't have been able to help herself by that point--she'd been so furious at what she'd been put through that the hunter in her had taken too much control of her way of thinking for her to act otherwise.

A typical white Martian would consider Hope rightfully hers now; and the woman obviously hadn't made very good choices in her life if she'd been involved with someone like Luthor. Upon searching further in Hope's mind, she found she'd only really been following Mercy's lead, and Mercy had been obsessed with things like money and power and screw everyone else. Luthor had just been a means to an end for her. Hope deserved better, M'gann decided. Someone who had that sort of devotion--who'd been willing to do so much for love--deserved better.

It would be so easy to just reach into her mind and change her; make her forget all about Mercy Graves if she wanted--maybe give her her own memories. G'yal's, Nina's, Shelley's... Artemis's... She could shape her however she wanted really... The thought occurred to her that she could give her to Lina; put all the things in her Lina would like there--then the problem would be solved for both Lina and Hope... But, after that, she considered Lina; she knew everything about her--would Lina like the idea? No; she'd hate it. Then M'gann fantasized that Lina might kill Hope for her, because Hope wasn't her and she might be offended by M'gann's gift. Cut her throat in bed, then... then carve open her heart, and... offer her body to M'gann. M'gann imagined herself eating the heart in front of Lina, then kissing her; making love to her. She shivered. Realized she'd been holding Hope Taya in a sort of hypnotic sway, like a hunter would before a kill. She let Hope go and turned away from her, going over to sit down on a nearby couch, put her face in her hands and tried to get a hold of herself. She wasn't very stable right now, she could recognize that.

It was a common sex fantasy among white Martians; she'd read love stories and poems her people had written about the ritual. Presenting a kill to a perspective mate; offering it's heart to her (or him, she supposed; though for her it would always be a her). If the woman she wanted ate the heart, then they would mate; usually in rough, violent fashion. M'gann had never fantasized about anything like that before, nor had another girl ever offered her a kill of hers like that when she'd been younger. Though she could recall sometimes wishing one would. It shook her a little to have done so now. She searched herself. She had been repressing her feelings for Lina. Despite having refused her advances, the intensity of Lina's love for her was very appealing--even without having been able to read her mind as she would have liked to and now could. And maybe it was more than that--maybe she had real, strong feelings for Lina in return... It didn't make much difference in the final equation though; she was already Artemis's mate--she couldn't even conceive of herself wanting that to not be the case. But... it did make things harder for her. Made it hurt more. And the things she'd been thinking of doing just now; it chilled her to think of herself thinking those things. She realized she was crying in fact. And she felt ashamed for that, and for why she felt like crying. She looked up though, searching for Hope with her eyes and mind. She saw her sitting against the wall on the other side of the room, knees curled up to her torso... She was crying too, wasn't she? Then M'gann looked over at Mercy's dead body and felt guilty all over again. She decided then that she was going to use the Lazarus pit for her, so Hope would have her lover back. She didn't know if it was going to work, she just knew she had to try. That was the only way she was going to feel better about what she'd just done. She wiped her tears away and got up; floating over to Hope and leaning down next to her. She touched her cheek and wiped her tears and sent her soothing thoughts that would make her forget for now that M'gann was the one who'd killed her lover; make her trust her, believe in her. Like... like a pet, really. Until she could fix this.

"Come with me?" M'gann asked.

Hope took her hand and looked into her eyes trustingly. "Okay..." She agreed, smiling a little to her.

M'gann brushed some of the hair out of Hope's face, caressed her cheek, wiped the rest of her tears away, then kissed her forehead. "Everything will be alright. I'll... I'll just bring her back to you. Like Artemis. Then we can both be happy again, okay? And you won't have to work for Luthor, you'll just have her; you can work for Ivy and the rest of us maybe--do good in the world. It'll, it'll be great..." She smiled, trying her best to summon her usually hopeful spirit.

"It'll be great..." Hope echoed, smiling back, before hugging M'gann again. "Thank you..." She offered softly. "You're a good friend."

And again, M'gann felt guilty.

"I just have to... take care of some things now, okay?" She asked softly.

"Okay." Hope agreed easily.

M'gann looked at Luthor's remains; burned them with her heat-vision. Just to be safe (in a world with Lazarus pits and who knew what else, it seemed to her a reasonable precaution). Then she levitated all of Mercy's remains and went and picked Hope up in her arms; Hope wrapping her arms around her and laying her head on her shoulder, closing her eyes peacefully. M'gann levitated them out through the house, into the sky over the ocean where no one would be likely to see. When she was a safe distance away, she scanned the house with her telepathy. Everyone was gone, so she found everything inside that was combustible and used her telekinesis to make it explode--destroying the house and everything inside.

Hope watched the explosion with fascination. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" She asked M'gann.

"Um, I... I guess it is, isn't it?" She admitted softly, not actually really feeling that way herself. She'd done all this because she'd had to--for her friends, for Artemis. She'd learned the hard way; you had to be ruthless sometimes, or the world would see your weakness and strike at you. Take what you loved most.

This way, M'gann told herself, she'd stop that from happening to her again. Protect her mate, and her new friends.

\--- SILVER ---

She and Ivy had just parted. She'd told Ivy to go check on Shelley and keep Talia and Lilhy company. She wanted... she wanted to talk to Lina, alone. Wanted to know where things stood. She hadn't lied to Ivy of course, she was very okay with the idea of sharing their bed with Lina if it came to that, liked the idea actually (in theory), she just wanted to know that Lina... Well, basically she just wanted to reassure herself that she wasn't just asking for trouble with all this, or even if Lina was going to -be- trouble somehow, no matter which way Ivy finally decided to go. She wanted to be sure that Lina would be a friend (or maybe a lot more than a friend), not an enemy. Because one of the things that apparently hadn't changed much from when she had been under Ivy's... sway, was that was that she felt very protective of her. In that I'd kill for you kind of way--except now it was more of an 'I'd kill for us' sort of thing. Surprising how little a problem she realized she had with that idea, despite that she definitely wouldn't enjoy it in the least if she ever needed to make a chose like that. So, of course, she was very much hoping it wouldn't come to something anywhere near as crazy as all that. Of course, she really doubted there was much chance of that. Lina was hot, and had a nice smile, a pretty voice, eyes that made you want to be on her side and could stop you in your tracks a little (in a good way), and... Ivy was in love with her. And, like she'd told Ivy, that last thing was a very important thing to her... It meant that she and Lina had something in common; something Silver valued more than she had words in her to describe--Ivy's love.

Surprisingly, she found she didn't have a problem with that, either. That she and Lina shared that. Well, she might have at first; not anymore. But... well, once she'd thought it through and let it sink in (while they'd made love)... She's seen things more clearly.

It had been when they were healing Shelley together that Silver had really realized what she'd told Ivy on the couch just before. That Ivy was just... it for her. That it didn't matter to her how it had happened, or anything else really; it just mattered that Ivy was her one. That no matter what happened, Ivy would always be that for her. She'd seen the gentle smile on her lips, felt this feeling of just... peace. Simple, untroubled, honest peace. And she'd known, just known, it had all been real. All of the feelings she'd had; everything they'd shared... She might have been... on a leash, figuratively speaking, in a way, but that, really, where it counted, what Ivy had really done was to free her... To let her into her world, and show her what it really meant to be in love, and what it really was to be a part of something beautiful, what it was to be beautiful... inside and out. No, she'd made her own choice to fall in love with Ivy, and Ivy had made her own choice to fall in love with her. What she'd realized most was that... Their love; that it was a love that was like that feeling of peace she'd felt. Unshakable. Forever. That she'd just never... not for anything or any reason; never not feel that way about the woman who'd been sitting across from her. She belonged with this woman, and Ivy belonged with her.

And it was true. Even if... even if Ivy betrayed her, was cruel to her, or... or left her; she knew... She knew she'd still feel this way about her. She didn't think Ivy capable of doing anything like that to her at all of course, but even if she did... Even if she did. She knew that, well, that it might be kind of pathetic seeming, to be -that- gone on someone, but it would only be pathetic like that if Ivy didn't feel the same way about her, wouldn't stick by her the same way through anything. And Silver believed her lover completely when she said that she would. She didn't think that Ivy could deceive her enough to make her so thoroughly believe it if it weren't true. So she just... believed; because, in the end, it was just so easy for her to believe in Ivy. After all, Ivy had believed in her, hadn't she?

She remembered back to when they first met; the dance they shared... looking into her eyes, she'd been lost in them right away. All the time they'd been dancing, all Silver had wanted to do was to get this woman alone, maybe get to know her a little better; then take her to bed and get to know her -allot- better. As it had turned out of course, Ivy had wanted to get her alone too; only for a different reason. In a dimly lit hallway, she'd backed Silver up against a wall and kissed her. Her heart had felt like it wanted to fly out of her chest and she found herself kissing Ivy back with everything inside her. When the kiss was over, Ivy looked into her eyes and said 'you're mine now' and Silver had known it was true. If she'd had any ability to fight or resist those words, that fact, she'd never tried; even when Ivy had asked her to help her do things. She'd been far more intent on something else. Ivy had kept her at arms distance for a while, intent on her plans. She'd been friendly and caring towards her, but not amorous like Silver had more and more been wishing she would be. It took five days for her to finally get into her bed, and she hadn't spent a night without Ivy since then. She hadn't even remembered Ivy looking at another woman like she was attracted to her since then; well, until the thing with M'gann happened--and now Lina, who'd been the first girl Ivy'd fallen in love with.

Silver remembered her own first love. Unrequited in her case too... Well, at first at least. Her name was Beth Santiago--the daughter of one of her mother's friends. When she'd been twelve, she'd spent the summer with Beth and her family (while her mother had been having a torrid affair with a beautiful Italian woman in Europe). Beth had been three years older than her and so pretty; she smelt like grass and flowers all the time, and she got this big smile on her face whenever she was happy that had made Silver want to kiss her. She'd imagined the two of them getting married and having children together; she'd set up a doll house to act it all out, named the children, etc... When she'd finally kissed her and told her she loved her, Beth told her she was being gross, and that she was just a little kid, and had promptly told her they should go on a treasure hunt instead (which had actually meant looking for pretty stones by the river). That hadn't been falling in love so much as a girl's first real crush of course... The crush hadn't gone away though, and she and Beth had kept in touch by phone over the years until they ended up at the same boarding school, then the same college. Not a coincidence by the way; she'd pleaded with her mother to make it happen. They had gotten together, then broken up, then gotten together again more times than she'd bothered to count. It had never been smooth sailing at all, but even after they'd broken up for the final time--even after Beth had married a hot, brilliant marine biologist named Cynthia Markus that Silver had obviously been no match against and moved to a tropical island somewhere... Well, she'd have been lying if she'd told anyone she wasn't still in love with her. If Beth were here right now, and she'd kissed her in a hallway because the ridiculously perfect Cynthia Markus had broken her heart or something, she was sure it'd be pretty hopeless for her to try to keep herself from kissing her back either. So she could easily see where Ivy was coming from about Lina; it was obvious. Though it did make her wonder: If Catalina Flores had been the first woman Ivy'd fallen in love with, and that had been in college, what had Ivy's life been like before that; that she hadn't been in love before then? And, Silver realized, she really didn't know very much about Ivy, did she? At least not about her past. Ivy rarely ever even talked about it.

She decided right then and there that she'd make it a priority to find out everything she could.

Maybe she could even start with Lina in that regard? When she found Lina though, it didn't look like exactly a good time to talk. There was the sounds of a struggle--which made her quicken her pace--and then she turned down the hallway and saw Lina fighting with a very much awake and no longer tied up Derick Grayson.

"Ricky; just stop, okay?" Lina asked, narrowly avoiding a punch to the face.

"Then let me go, Lina. Let me walk out of here." Derick countered, catching Lina's hand and twisting it, causing her to cry out a little.

"Sorry; can't do that..." Lina twisted out of his hold and was shoved against the wall roughly by Derick.

Silver reached them and tried to tackle Derick. She didn't know much of anything about fighting; there'd only been two times in her life she had actually fought another person, actually. One time was when she'd been seventeen and had been on the outs with Beth for months and had fallen for a boy who had a jealous ex-girlfriend--she'd caused a little damage back, but mostly she'd just got beat up. The only other time was an oil exec she and Ivy had targeted--Ivy had saved her and beat him to a pulp, until he was dead and then some. That was to say, she really didn't know how to fight. So, she figured she had to get in close to do anything; because she was a lot stronger than him now and, up close, it made sense that that might matter more than knowing how to fight.... hopefully.

As she charged at him though, he saw her coming, crouched down, pivoted, did this martial arts judo thing, and, before she even knew what hit her, he'd sent her flying so she landed on her back in the hallway past him. She got up, rubbing her head, and Derick kicked her in the head; which knocked her off balance and sent her to the ground again.

"Get the fuck away from her!" Lina shouted, and Silver looked up to see Lina had him pinned against the wall, his faced pressed into the wall.

"You alright?" Lina asked, concern in her voice even as she struggled to keep hold of Derick.

"Fine, thanks..." Silver answered gratefully, wiping a little blood from her bleeding lip and nose.

Derick got enough leverage to buck against the wall and twist free of Lina's hold though. Silver moved in before he saw her coming and kissed him roughly; backed him against the wall. He struggled at first, but soon he relaxed and began kissing her back--and Silver felt it; Derick was hers now.

She broke off the kiss and smiled a little weakly at him. "Behave, lover boy." She instructed with a little humor.

"I... Anything you want..." He smiled a little to her and moved forward, touching her face, looking at the damage he'd done. "I'm so sorry, Silver..." He offered softly.

Silver smiled a little. "Don't worry about it." She told him, moving in to kiss him again, just to be sure.

"I remember that." He smiled flirtingly to her, touching her face and looking into her eyes in that I want to take you to bed and have really amazing sex with you all night long sort of way. She swallowed a little and smiled, shaking her head a bit. She remembered how good Derick was at amazing sex all night long, too. Oh, she wasn't tempted (Ivy was definitely -much- better for her in that regard), but it was flattering anyway, and a nice memory... Even if he was just looking at her like that because of her kiss.

"I bet you do." She answered, turning to Lina and smiling softly to her. "Thank you." She offered.

"Um, yeah; you're... You're welcome." She replied softly. "So, you can do the whole lip zap thing too, huh? Good to know I guess."

"My first time." Silver confided.

"...You should probably do that to Tim next then." She concluded.

"Should I... Is there anything I can do for you?" Derick asked.

"Um, no... I guess; you could go out to the back yard? Meet the others? I'll be out in a while; I just... have to talk with Lina first, alright?" Silver asked.

"Sure; um, no... No problem. I'll... I'll wait for you..." Derick added, looking a little lost.

"What's wrong?" Silver asked him.

"I... This feels wrong somehow..." He admitted.

"What does?" Silver asked.

"You're a good person, Silver. I know; I remember... You shouldn't be helping someone like Vivian Isley. Is she making... If you're in trouble, I'll do anything I can to help; you know that, right?" Derick offered.

Silver sighed. "Vivian Isley is a hero, Derick. She's doing more good for the world than anyone else I've ever heard of." She told him, her eyes showing sure conviction in her words. "...She's the best person I know, Derick, and I love her with all my heart. Just... Just give her a chance, alright? For me?"

"I... Of course will... I... I'm sorry; I didn't mean... If you trust her, I do too. I..." He shook his head. "I guess... I'm just... confused..."

Silver moved forward and kissed him again, willing the effects to be stronger this time. She felt his cock become erect in his pants and stepped back, smiling a little. Maybe she'd made the kiss a little -too- strong. "Just go out to the back yard, alright?" She instructed again.

"Of course; whatever you want. I'm yours Silver, I promise..." He smiled to her trustingly with obvious belief and devotion in his eyes before he obeyed her and turned away to leave.

Silver sighed again. "It's better than having to kill him." She offered.

Lina just looked at her from leaning against the wall, tired from the fight apparently.

"Um, so, Tim?" Silver prompted.

"Oh, right. I was just... Just going to find Ivy... when I saw them, awake. I knocked Tim out, but... Derick's probably a better fighter than I am; and... I guess my heart wasn't really in it, you know? It was just a little while ago that I was... That I was in love with him." She explained softly.

"You're not anymore? At all?" Silver asked, getting no reply from Lina and going into the room and finding Tim Drake on the floor; he moaned a little and Silver rolled him onto his back and kissed him.

He opened his eyes wider and Silver kept kissing him, then stopped and looked down at him. "You're mine now." She told the teenage boy. "Alright?"

"Alright." Tim answered, a peaceful smile going to his face.

"How's your head?" Lina asked.

"I think I have a concussion." Tim answered.

"Alright; find your way to the back yard for me? Find Derick? Tell him to keep you awake?" Silver asked. "I'll come out and check on you after a while."

"I can do that." Tim agreed easily, letting Silver help him to his feet.

He walked off. Silver sat on the bed Derick and Tim had been tied up on and took out her cell phone; hit Ivy's number on speed dial.

"Silver?" Ivy's voice came over the phone.

"Hi, um, Nightwing and Robin woke up." Silver informed her.

Ivy took in a breath. "Are you alright?" Ivy asked. "They didn't..."

"No; Derick kicked me in the face once, but it's already healed."

"Fuck!" Ivy exclaimed.

"Lina smashed his face into the wall after that though; I did the kiss thing on them, so they're... You know, ours now. I, um, I sent them back to you. They should be there soon." Silver explained.

Ivy sighed in relief. "I'm just glad you're okay."

"I love you." Silver spoke impulsively, a wave of happiness coming over her at saying those words to Ivy again.

"I love you too." Ivy answered fondly. "So, you want to keep him, right? Or did you send Grayson to me after telling me that he kicked you in the face -expecting- me to murder him for you?"

Silver laughed. "I actually hadn't thought of that. But yes, I think we should keep him; he might be useful, and, really, he's a good person at heart. Kind... and, as for the kick in the face, he -was- only trying to escape--and I -did- basically help you murder his adoptive father--I think I actually kind of deserved it." She told her.

"No, you didn't... In no way whatsoever." Ivy answered. "But I won't kill him if you don't want me to, okay?"'

"Okay." Silver agreed, charmed. "Bye lover."

"Bye." Ivy answered softly.

Silver hung up the phone and looked at Lina who was leaning against the door frame watching her. "I, um, I came to talk with you, Lina..." Silver explained, meeting her eyes.

"Because I kissed her, right?" Lina ventured.

"Right." Silver smiled softly, trying to reassure her that her intentions were peaceful.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(to be continued)


	13. Paradise On Earth

PART 13: PARADISE ON EARTH

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

\--- SILVER (continued) ---

"...I didn't plan to do that." Lina offered, conflicting emotions playing over her expression.

"Do you plan to again?" Silver asked.

Lina just looked into her eyes a moment. "I'm... not sure." She admitted.

"I thought you were in love with M'gann?" Silver further questioned her, trying to be gentle.

"I am; it's crazy how much I am..." She admitted further, looking away.

"Then..."

"Then she doesn't want me, that's 'then'..." Lina answered softly. "Not as much as she wants Artemis; which I completely can't help but understand by the way. I know everything--absolutely every single solitary thing--about both of them after all... For M'gann, it's just... She belongs with Artemis, belongs -to- Artemis. It's... like, just a fact for her; I doubt I could get around it no matter what I tried to do."

"I can understand that." Silver answered.

"Good for you." Lina replied, meeting her eyes again, sadness apparent in her gaze.

"So, you've given up on her? And Ivy, she's... what?" Silver asked gently.

"I don't know what she is to me; a friend? Maybe more..." She looked down at the ground again. "But no, I haven't given up on having a chance with M'gann, not completely at least... What happened with Viv, with Ivy; it just... happened..."

"Why did it though?" Silver asked.

Lina sighed, meeting Silver's gaze again momentarily. "I don't know..." She met Silver's eyes in earnest now. "Maybe I was lonely? Maybe; maybe I just felt like it? Maybe... I love her... I'm not really sure, to be honest." She admitted, looking down at the floor again.

"And... How do you feel about me? I know we don't know each other very well; but, if I were to walk over to you right now and... kiss you, would you want that?" She asked.

Lina met her eyes, looking a little confused. "I... I don't know. Maybe..." She admitted.

"Do you want to try it and see?" Silver asked, a little of a smile on her lips as she got up and walked towards the other woman.

Lina just kept eye contact as she got closer, not moving. Silver took that as permission and moved in closer, touching her arm.

"Wait..." Lina protested, shrinking away a little. "Are you; if you kiss me, are you trying to do to me what you just did to Derick and Tim?" Lina asked, fear in her voice. "Because I don't--"

Silver touched Lina's lips with two fingers, silencing her, then shook her head 'no'. "That only works if I want it to; and no, I'm not trying to do that to you--I don't want to do that to you." She promised, caressing Lina's cheek. "I just... want to kiss you, that's all." She moved in and captured Lina's lips in a kiss that was at first tender, then--as she felt Lina accept the kiss, trust her--passionate. She pressed her body in closer and kissed her fully, without reservation, pressing her against the doorframe.

Lina's hands came, one to her hip, the other to her back, caressing her. Silver stopped the kiss, rested her forehead on Lina's forehead, and smiled. "I guess you did want me to kiss you after all..." She observed softly.

"...I guess so..." Lina admitted back, just as softly; very evidently caught in her eyes.

"We should talk, get to know each other a little better, don't you think?" She offered.

"Um, okay... Silver?" Lina asked as Silver stepped back and took her hand in hers.

"Yes?" Silver asked as she led Lina over to the bed.

"Why are you doing this? I mean, aren't you... upset? Mad at me for what I did?" She asked.

Silver shook her head a little. "No; well, maybe just a little at first. But only just a little, and the feeling passed quickly enough. Mostly, I'm curious, and... well, interested in finding out more about you."

"Why?" Lina asked, sitting down on the bed with Silver.

"Because Ivy--Viv--she loves you... I don't think she's ever stopped. Did you know, since I've been with her, I don't think I've ever once seen her even notice another woman--sexually, romantically--except for you... Well, and the M'gann thing; but I'm not sure any of us were in our right minds for that--oh, and Nina and Shelley that one time. But even that; she couldn't stand sharing me apparently. She still doesn't want to... but, for you... I think she just might be convinced to make an exception?"

"You mean... a threesome? You'd be okay with that?" Lina asked a little skeptically.

"Oh, more than okay, honestly." She smiled, moving forward to touch Lina's face flirtingly. "If we end up being compatible of course... I think I'd love it, in fact. You wouldn't know this, but... I've always been a bit of hedonist, I have to admit." She explained, moving forwards and kissing Lina again, before backing away just a little and smiling to her. "But that's for later. I'm in no rush, and you and Ivy both have a lot to figure out before it could get to that point, don't you think? I just... wanted to let you know... that I'd definitely be open to it, if it did happen... I love her Lina, and she loves you... She loves me too of course, intensely so, but I love her just as much, and that's more than enough to want her to be with both of the women she loves... If it's possible, of course..." She admitted. "You might end up with M'gann after all, right?"

"Right..." Lina smiled, looking a little lost, but also rather charmed too apparently--which pleased Silver allot.

"So... I was thinking, for now, we should just talk; get to know one another? Maybe... be friends?" She offered hopefully.

Lina smiled very genuinely at that; clearly touched. "I think I'd like that... A lot actually."

Silver smiled back and ran her hand though Lina's hair a little, looking into her eyes. "Officially friends then." She concluded, dropping her hand just a little self-consciously. Honestly, she'd been a little tempted to go for it and see if she could get Lina to go further with her for a moment there, but of course she knew that would have been a bad idea for a lot of reasons.

Lina smiled and moved in to kiss her. Silver was a little surprised, but went with it without missing a beat. "Friends, and... maybe more one day." Lina corrected with a little of a shy yet very charming smile.

"I like that." Silver smiled back, delighted and feeling happy; feeling like she'd definitely done the right thing to reach out to Lina like this. She was definitely starting to like her a lot, and they definitely seemed like they'd be compatible... And... also, she thought she was very definitely starting to see why Ivy had fallen so hard for her back then too... There was just something so -compelling- about her, wasn't there?

"Silver?" Lina asked.

"Yeah?" Silver asked.

"Just... um, thanks. For in the hall with Derick, and... um, for this too. I was... I was really dreading... I thought I might have really messed things up, you know? With Ivy... with you... with all of this. I don't know -what- M'gann will think when she finds out I did that... I don't... I don't think I've been handling it all that well. This helped. A lot I think..." She admitted with a grateful smile.

Silver smiled back, happy. "Of course. You know, actually... I think you kissing Ivy like that; I think it actually helped us too. I think Ivy... believes in me more now. Now that she knows... that I'm not ever going to leave her--not over anything." She smiled. "But especially not for falling in love with someone as amazing as you are."

Lina regarded her in a little bit of wonder for a moment, then smiled a little shyly. "You know, that's... actually very beautiful..." She admitted.

"I think so to..." Silver answered.

"Um, Silver, can I ask... Viv... Ivy I mean..." She started to say.

"No, you can call her Viv; I'm sure she wouldn't mind that at all..." Silver corrected.

"Yeah, okay... I guess, I just thought she probably changed her name like that to... make a statement, you know?" Lina asked.

"I'm sure she did... huh, maybe I should too, come to think of it. Do you think she'd like that?" She asked, feeling a little playful.

"Well, you could. What would you change it to though?" Lina asked.

"Mmm... Lily maybe? ...There are some on the property by the pool; Madonna lilies. White to match my hair. Ivy and I were out there together one day, and she told me they reminded her of me... I think she'd like that actually, you know?" Silver considered. She hadn't really thought she'd do it at first, but now she was thinking maybe she would...?

Lina smiled a little at that. "You're in love all right." She observed. "Um, anyway, what I was going to ask was... can you tell me about her? About Ivy? I mean... I knew Viv Isley really well, or I thought I did at least... but I really don't know as much as I'd like to about the woman she's become, you know?"

Silver smiled at that, hardly believing her good luck. "Huh. How about we make a deal then? I'll tell you about Ivy... if you tell me about Viv?"

Lina smiled at that. "Deal." She agreed.

Silver hummed a little, delighted to be able to talk about her favorite topic. "Good, I'll go first then... Mmm, Ivy... Well, she's... She's like my very own secret--one that no one else knows but me. But I guess it's always like that when you fall in love, isn't it?" She considered. "But it's true anyway, and it's more true the more in love you are, isn't it?" She realized she actually was finding it hard to think of this, to think about Ivy, in words somehow; when, for her, it seemed so much just about feelings and things that words just couldn't touch. "...So um, despite what she--what we do, with our crusade of conscience and everything... at heart, she's definitely a lover not a fighter I think... I know I've never been with anyone else who seemed to come so very alive when I'm with them... I see it in her eyes when I'm with her--that there's nowhere else she'd rather be, and nothing she'd rather be doing... She's so beautiful, you know--at heart, not just to look at or to touch... When we're together, when we make love... there are just no words to describe it." She sighed and felt hot inside, looking over into Lina's eyes and seeing her words were making them both feel it. She smiled. "Um, right, well, anyway... You probably already know how passionate and driven she is about our cause; about saving and protecting the green. It's heroic, and so is she... but she can also be cruel when she needs to be, or when she's hurt perhaps... I think maybe you know that too... But then, we can all be cruel when we're hurt, can't we?"

"Has she ever been cruel to you?" Lina asked.

"Mm? To me? Oh, I don't know..." Silver answered honestly. "In a way, perhaps a little... If she has though, I've never been hurt by it. And actually, if you want to know what my heart thinks on the subject, it's that's that she's always been... perfect to me. Or my definition of perfect anyway. I'm sure I would have fallen in love with her even if she hadn't made me hers like she had--but I don't regret it happening like that. The truth is... I liked it. I liked being hers that way, maybe more than I'd like to admit sometimes. And of course, in my heart where it counts, I still am hers. I'm hers and she's mine right back. And I think that's been true almost from the start too, honestly... When we met, when we danced, I think I started to fall in love for her even then. Something about the way our eyes met.. And then we kissed and I was hers, just hers. And I wanted her so much, but at first she was so closed off to me, you know? I could tell, she'd been hurt by love, that she had trouble opening up; had trouble trusting... She didn't want to be hurt like that again--and really, anyone who's ever had a broken heart can understand that, can't they? But when I won her over, she was... just perfect. So completely attentive and devoted as a lover, and as a friend. She always listened, made me feel so special and beautiful and loved... Being with her, it's like... paradise on Earth, really..."

Lina smiled softly at that. "Paradise on Earth, huh?" She ran a hand through her hair a little. "Sounds nice..."

"Mm. That's a loaded observation if I've ever heard one." Silver replied.

Lina smiled a little at that. "Very observant." She answered a little ruefully. "Somehow, I think you'd make a pretty decent attorney if you wanted to be."

Silver smiled. "Well, that's never going to happen." She replied playfully. "I am a serial killer and an eco-terrorist after all. Or at least that's how most legal systems in the world would see it. It'd kind of be a bad match, don't you think?"

"That's true." Lina agreed.

"So... 'loaded observation'?" Silver gently pressed.

Lina sighed. "It's just... I can remember feeling like that. Like paradise on Earth in a bed, making love... Only, they aren't my memories--aren't my feelings... Not originally at least."

"You've never had that feeling on your own then." Silver observed. "But you remember it, and you want it again... That must be very... Well, I suppose our lives have become slightly Shakespearean of late, haven't they? Not much in the way of the comedies, of course. Much more of the dramas. True love, hearts divided, hearts denied, tragedy, reversals... Even something of our own midsummer-night’s dream, now that I think about it."

"Well, I suppose that's true." Lina acceded.

"So... not with Derick then? I'd thought, well, weren't you in love once?" Silver asked delicately.

Lina shook her head. "I seriously didn't even know what love was, I think..." She admitted. "Not like this... I just... I liked him, liked being with him, liked how it made me feel... He... he could make me feel really special--like anything was possible... but the truth was, I didn't even know what could be possible at all." She smiled a little fondly. "We were friends with benefits, or not much more than that really. And I'm sure people make lives on less than what was there for us all the time. I mean, it was thrilling and good and I thought it was a dream come true. We made a difference for people--we changed people's lives--for the better. But when it came down to it, after Ivy kissed me... After... I would have killed him and not even felt bad about it. I know I would have. It makes me a little disgusted with myself to think about it, honestly..." She confessed. "No, I never loved him... Not the way you love Ivy at least. Not the way I feel... Not the way I feel now. Now, it's like... everything really could be perfect, if I could just have that with someone who loved me back... I don't have the words... Did you ever have anything like what you have with Ivy before you, um, before you met her?"

"I think I came close a few times. Enough to kind of drive me a little nuts sometimes, really... It never worked out in the end though, no matter how much I wanted it to. So I might know something of what you're going through, actually..." Silver smiled a little. "But no, I never truly had that feeling... Like everything was perfect--better than perfect even--even if it might not really be in a way you could rationally describe it... I never had that until Ivy. Not like it could really be for keeps. Not with anyone else. And, believe me, I enjoyed myself greatly looking..." She smiled. "But you're right, there's no comparing being fully in love to it's shadow, is there?" She spoke softly.

"No, there's really not..." Lina agreed, falling silent.

Silver regarded her silence for a few moments, then moved in and caressed then cupped her cheek, nudging her head up and over a little so their eyes met again. She smiled to her and Lina smiled a little back. "You'll find it. Maybe with M'gann... Maybe with me and Ivy... Maybe with someone else altogether--but it will happen. And until it does, I promise, I'll be there for you, okay?" She asked softly.

Lina smiled just a little and moved in to kiss her, just briefly. "For what it's worth... I don't think I'd have any trouble falling in love with you." She admitted it a little shyly, but with manifest sincerity.

Silver touched her own lips with two fingers and smiled. "Promises, promises." She replied playfully. "And what a promise." She joked. "No wonder Ivy fell so hard for you."

"Thanks... I think." Lina replied, absently tucking some of her hair behind an ear.

Silver smiled in a way she was sure was a little enigmatic, deciding it was time to move on. "So, Lina, new friend and possible future lover of mine... In college; you and Vivian Isley..." She gently pushed Lina down onto her back and lay beside her, snuggling up to her. "Tell me everything."  
  


Lina sighed, putting her arms around Silver, apparently accepting this intimacy as Silver had been sure she would. Lina clearly needed someone to take the lead right now, make her feel safe, even if it was just for a little while. "Well, okay... I met her the first week, freshman year. I was crashing with a friend of my mother's--it was a ways from campus and she had three kids. It was cramped, so I was looking for a place to live near campus; something cheap, preferably. I met Viv getting espresso; well, she was getting tea. We talked--she needed a roommate to help her with the rent--I volunteered. And I guess, it just sort of happened; we were, like, instant best friends. We had a lot in common I guess..."

"Like what?" Silver asked curiously, paying rapt attention, though still fascinated with Lina's hair also.

"Well, we were both activists for one thing. I was all about social causes; justice, human rights. Viv, of course, was all about saving the planet. It wasn't a problem though; out of solidarity, we both went to each other's events. She was really easy going about it with me; the way she used to look at me..."

"She fell in love with you." Silver supplied, easily picturing Ivy like that somehow; hung up on a girl. It was such a darling image.

"Yeah... I guess so. I was... completely oblivious to it of course, up until she told me junior year. I mean, I knew she was gay of course--around one out of two people are they say--so it's not like... I guess I just never thought she felt that way about me." She confessed. "I did know -something- was up though. When I first moved in with her, she was dating, um, the normal amount I guess. She brought girls home with her sometimes--like that. Though it never seemed to last long. She wasn't really what you'd call a player or anything, just, I guess, she had trouble opening up to people, and I guess that just meant her relationships didn't last long. She got really frustrated about that sometimes, I remember. One time in fact she sort of poured her heart out about it to me, even though I could tell doing that was hard for her. But that whole year to that point, she never went out with anyone, and she seemed to want to spend as much time with me as possible. At first, I'd been fine with that--I'd been having boy troubles and I needed the distraction. But then I met a new boy, Brannon Marquez, and I fell for him, hard... The day after I told Viv about him, she took me to lunch and... told me how she felt about me."

"It went badly?" Silver asked.

"No, she was... She was really sad; heartbroken I guess... She'd kind of worked it up in her head that maybe I felt the same way somehow because of how close we'd gotten... but she didn't react badly or anything. She said she still wanted to be friends... and we tried; or, I guess if I'm honest, she tried more than I did. I just... didn't know what to... I guess, I felt guilty about hurting her like that. I didn't want to hurt her any more than that, and I kept imagining everything I did could be leading her on or something. Then she met Dr. Quinn, senior year--she was the new psychology professor, and Ivy fell for her in a major way."

"Dr. Quinn? I've never heard that name before. Well, besides the one Jane Seymour played of course. What happened?" Silver asked, trying to hide the urgency in her voice. It just stuck her again, how little she knew about Ivy. And she hated not knowing.

"Well, Viv started spending all of her time with her of course... I was involved with Brannon, and we sort of drifted apart. She moved out, start of second semester; moved in with Hailey."

"Hailey Quinn. Huh... Tell me about her." Silver prompted.

"Um, okay... Well, she was young; only a year or two older than us--an honest to goodness genius apparently. Graduated college the first time at fifteen. Had like, three different degrees. And on top of that she was completely hot; even I could've told you that much. Blonde, athletic looking, blue eyes, beautiful, and so much just... presence... I don't think Ivy even had a chance, you know? The way Hailey was, I'm not sure even I would have had a chance if she'd turned that focus of hers on me. When she talked in class, you just... paid attention, you know? She could draw you in, get you wrapped up in what she was saying so easily. I'm convinced she could have started a cult, no problems... I never really liked her though, to be honest. I was probably the only one. There was just something... kind of off about her."

"Maybe you were jealous?" Silver put forwards.

"Mm, maybe." Lina admitted.

"Is that what made you two lose touch? That you hated her new girlfriend?" Silver asked, smiling at the thought.

"Mm? Oh, no; I never told her I didn't like Hailey. I figured, you know, I just wanted her to be happy..."

Silver smiled a little fondly at that. "Thanks... for telling me those things." She offered softly.

She got up and sat back on her knees, offering Lina a hand up. Lina took it and moved forwards and hugged Silver, which was a pleasant surprise. "You know... I'm glad Viv met you. I'm glad you found each other, no matter how it happened."

Silver kissed Lina's forehead. "Me too. And I'm glad you kissed her... because now we're friends..." She ran a hand through Lina's hair fondly, secretly hoping things with her and M'gann didn't work out and Lina ended up with her and Ivy... Somehow, she really liked the idea of that a lot now. "So, come with me? We should go join the others. Hopefully... hopefully M'gann will be back soon with good news?"

Lina sat back on the bed and their eyes met again. Silver saw storm clouds there. "What's wrong?" Silver asked.

Lina smiled a little. "Nothing. It's just... I'm worried about her, and I love her. And it just... it hurts so much, you know? Not being with her, worrying about her out there... doing what she's doing. I want her so much... but I'll probably never have her." Lina explained. "But at the same time, I want so much for her to find love--find peace and joy again--even if it's not with me... It's... It's kind of hard to sort out everything I'm feeling these days, that's all. Sometimes I'm not even sure if what I'm feeling really are my feelings or not, or whether they're one of the other sets of feelings I have inside me... Oh, I know how to keep them separate if I want to... but sometimes it's just so tempting not to..."

"Well, I can't say I know what that's like, but I think I'm getting to know you pretty well, even if we've just known each other a very short time... I think you'll figure it out. I think, somehow... it'll turn out for the best. It will... you'll see. Because you'll make sure it will, and because you're not in this alone, alright?" She offered softly, giving her another hug.

She held her like that for a little while longer, then, once Lina was feeling in better sorts, they went to go join the others in the lawn.

Silver was intent on asking Ivy about her past now, particularly about Dr. Hailey Quinn. She also found herself feeling increasingly protective of Lina, and really wanting to make things better for her. Even though she wasn't sure how to do that. If Lina really did love M'gann as much as it seemed like she did, would even sharing her relationship with Ivy with her be enough? Maybe it wouldn't be to start out... but over time, it could be, right? ...If Lina even really wanted that. If Ivy did.

She knew from experience, keeping more than one lover at once wasn't easy, and it tended to get harder the longer it went on. Though she certainly did remember enjoying the challenge. Still, this was different. It was true love and everything. She wasn't completely sure she was even doing the right thing. If she was taking too much of a risk. She knew she hardly had a past full of gleaming examples of making responsible choices for herself when it came to her love life, or of thinking through the consequences on that front either. Ivy was probably the best example of that of all, come to think of it. But then, she figured, if Ivy didn't want her making her own decisions like this, she never should have freed her. And the idea of having both Ivy and Lina was just so tempting...

And it wasn't just because Lina was a part of Ivy's past that Silver wanted to get to know anymore, she also kind of... felt herself falling for Lina too... Wanting to be with her. It really was no mystery to her why Ivy had fallen in love with her. Once you saw her smile to you once, you couldn't really help wanting her to do it again. She was just that kind of person. You couldn't help caring about her, because she just got to you--stole into your heart without even trying.

\--- IVY ---

When she'd gotten Silver's call, Ivy had been sitting with Shelley and Nina, helping Shelley, giving her what strength she could offer to bring her out of her regenerative sleep. A local public radio news program was playing in the background, covering the Luthor Corp 'act of domestic terrorism' so she'd hear if anything newsworthy happened relating to M'gann. Raul and Gustav were off watering and tending plants; which, normally, Shelley would do, sometimes with Nina. Talia and Lilhy were having a picnic lunch nearby, apparently utterly absorbed in one another. Ivy had been absently watching them, finding it soothing how in love they were. The idea that she actually... had friends again. Besides maybe her sister, Lina had been the only actual friend she'd ever had before now. But she and Talia, they really seemed to have hit it off. They both spoke the same language, believed very similar things, and wanted the same things in life. She found it so easy to talk with her, like she didn't have to be on her guard at all. She had that with Silver of course, but that was different, they were in love. Silver could talk about purple elephants colonizing the moon and Ivy was sure she'd find it the most interesting thing in the world just because Silver was the one saying it. Or, in other words, Ivy had very little objectivity where Silver was concerned. It was nice to just meet someone, no expectations or strings attached, and just strike up a friendship with them because you both just genuinely liked the other person.

Since Lina had rejected her, and then how things had gone with Hailey, Ivy had felt her world, at least as it pertained to human society, getting smaller and smaller, her mission becoming all important to her. Then she'd met Silver, and Silver had just slipped inside her heart and taken it like it had been hers all along, nothing Ivy had been able to do about it, nothing she'd wanted to do about it. And slowly, she'd felt her heart really start to come alive again, trust again. Believe she could have someone in her life, really in her life, again. She'd given Silver her choice and she'd chosen her. And now, she found herself with a... a circle of friends. Ones who chose to be with her, to be on her side, and help her fight the fight she knew she had to fight. She'd never had anything like that in her life before. It was going to take some getting used to, but... in a good way.

As she was thinking that, Derick Grayson walked out on the lawn and Ivy felt a little of a chill go through her. She hadn't been playing when she'd talked about killing him to Silver. She visualized him kicking Silver like he had and she was furious with him; wanted to beat him, savagely, then kill him. The fact that he was Silver's former lover also didn't help matters either. She'd told Silver she wouldn't hurt him; and Silver had been right, he might very well prove useful. Besides which, she considered, he was also Talia's friend too, wasn't he? She didn't want to risk losing that. She considered getting up and threatening him at least, telling him that if he even tried to hurt Silver again, she'd tear him apart with her bare hands... but then she realized she might do that anyway if she got that close to him right now; so, instead she decided to ignore him for now and focus on helping Shelley.

"Hi... you must be Vivian?" Derick questioned, crouching down next to her.

She looked into his eyes, and was a little surprised. Silver had been right; they were kind eyes, weren't they? She sighed. "Call me Ivy. Could you go, um, talk with Talia or something? I'm busy." She told him, looking back down at Shelley and Nina, doing her best to pretend he wasn't there.

"...Uh, alright, whatever you want." He replied agreeably, sounding a little confused.

She watched him walking over to Talia and Lilhy. She kind of hated him more now. Why did he have to be seemingly a genuinely nice person? If he'd been an ass, then she might have had an excuse to dispose of him. She looked away, back to Shelley and decided to just forget about it for now and focus on Shelley. She didn't really want to think about what Silver might be talking about with Lina. She'd been determinedly not thinking about it, actually. And especially not thinking about what it had felt like when Lina had... kissed her like that. She shivered a little as the sensory memory went through her again and she stubbornly tried to block out the feelings that came with it. She poured herself into helping Shelley. She was actually getting worried that she wasn't waking up yet, so she tried just that much more to reach her.

A teenage boy came out and walked over to Talia, Lilhy, and Derick. Robin, Timothy Drake, she considered without much interest, going back to her patient. Time and the world around her that her eyes and ears could see and hear just seemed to fade away as she allowed her mind to fall into the green. That place, that world inside the world, that meant so very much to her; in a way she could never really describe to anyone else. There, she felt Silver like a beacon. The only other one like her in the world (or at least the only one she got along with); the only other who could... really understand what she understood about this. Silver knew what she was doing with Shelley, Ivy could tell, and even from where she was inside the house, Silver gave her her support and help in this. And it was so comforting to have that, that tether. She'd always been a little scared of getting lost and not wanting to come back when she did this sort of thing. But with Silver there, she didn't worry anymore. Ivy dove down deep, deep into the heart of Shelley Lanning. She found her, as though wrapped in a bed of vines and roots and leaves and flowers. Sleeping, wounded, protecting herself. The green protecting her, fiercely too. Ivy smiled, and touched the cocoon, felt it recognize her again. She'd been here before, but had recognized that the cocoon was necessary and had left it in place. Now though, she sensed Shelley was stronger; strong enough to wake and thrive. She felt excitement at this. What would Shelley be? What had she become? Something new and wonderful, Ivy could tell. She caressed the cocoon and felt it's trust in her--the green's complete trust in her--love for her. She told the cocoon that it was time to let go, and it believed her without reservation. It sang to her as it unfurled itself as a flower in sunlight and reveled Shelley at its center. Ivy went to her, touched her, told her it was time to wake; that she would be here with her, and not let any harm come to her. Shelley too, believed her with no reservations. This was her power; her great and terrible responsibility. That something so... innocent and vulnerable and great and vast should love and trust her so completely, believe in her so much yet expect nothing of her in return; just so happy for her existence, her presence. And that was the thing of it--all the pressure she felt to save all this? She knew that was only her own, and not from the green itself. The green... didn't even consider reality in terms like that. That was why Ivy felt so completely compelled to protect it anyway, because love and trust like that deserved more than anything to be loved and protected fiercely in return.

Shelley hugged her and smiled to her and told her thank you and then... woke up. Ivy snapped back to the world of sights and sounds and opened her eyes and looked down and saw Shelley meeting her gaze, a smile on her newly formed face. She was green and growing; had flowers growing in her hair and smelled of moss and grass and flowers. "Ivy... Thank you..." She offered, as though learning to talk all over again.

"You're welcome..." Ivy swallowed, feeling emotional.

Lilhy came over, followed by Talia, Derick, and Timothy.

Shelley looked over at Nina, lying next to her, unconscious. "What... happened...?" She asked softly, caressing her lover's face. She shook her head in frustration and then met Ivy's eyes again with determination. "What... happened to her?" She asked again in a newly steady voice that sounded more like her own.

"...I'm not sure, exactly. It happened while you two were... making love, with M'gann... and Lina." Ivy explained. "M'gann; she lost control somehow, it seems." She told her softly.

"What about Lina and M'gann then? Are they...?" She looked over and saw Silver and Lina walking into the back yard. Silver saw her and smiled. Lina saw her and broke into a run, dropping onto the ground and hugging her.

"You're alright." Lina spoke softly, tears falling down her cheeks. "I'm so glad."

"Lina." Shelley replied softly, closing her eyes and hugging Lina happily.

Silver came over by Ivy and sat down next to her, laying her head on her shoulder. Ivy held her to her and kissed her gently, the two of them smiling at the scene in front of them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(to be continued)


	14. M'gann's Homecoming

PART 14: M'GANN'S HOMECOMING

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

\--- M'GANN ---

Heading back, M'gann grew self-conscious about bringing Mercy Graves' body back with her (especially in the state she'd left it). She wanted to think her new friends would understand; but on the other hand she thought--why take the risk when she didn't need to? She wasn't even sure she liked the part of herself that had done that to the woman herself; she wasn't quite ready to show it to her friends, even these new friends, in such a stark way.

Instead, she diverted through the atmosphere, flying into space and increasing her speed past the speed of light; Hope, as well as Mercy's body, safe and comfortable inside a telekinetic bubble of atmosphere she'd taken with her. Mars wasn't at its closest to Earth at the moment, so it took her about three minutes to get there; Hope snuggled contentedly in her arms--like a pretty pet, she realized with a little guilt. Still, things were so close to getting so much better for her, she just had to fight her way through this, then she'd be with Artemis again, and she'd have friends, and she'd be helping Ivy with plans too. She knew now she needed to do that. To make the world better; safer. Because, maybe the one thing she didn't want to lose again as much as she didn't want to lose Artemis was her new adoptive world. She knew what it felt like to believe you were the last, and she was determined not to let that happen to her again.

She slowed down as she approached Mars's atmosphere; slowed down more as she entered it. She couldn't smell the air through the telekinetic shield she needed to maintain to protect Hope, but she could see, feel... sense... that she had come home. As it did every time she came back here, it stirred up a storm of emotions inside her. Through that storm though, with some alarm, she realized she wasn't alone here. She immediately threw up her most powerful mental shields with savage force--scrambling refracting, blurring, scattering whatever mental signature she may have inadvertently broadcast to the colony of white Martians she sensed on the planet.

"They came home." She spoke softly. It was a small colony, only a few thousand, but that was way more than enough to cause worry, even paranoia. Her people, after one final war with the Saturnians and the greens, had all fled the solar system to find a new home elsewhere in the stars. She had been the only one of her kind to remain, besides a few in Saturnian prisons, as far as she knew. That the Saturnians had allowed this was surprising. She found she was curious about them, but more fearful than curious. Luckily, they'd made their settlement thousands of miles from where she was headed. Hopefully, no one there had noticed her. She made up her mind to be very, very on her guard through this anyway though. She had no idea what her people would make of her, and she didn't want to risk finding out.

She hurried up as a thought occurred to her: What if they'd found her? What if they'd taken her? "Artemis." She spoke softly, desperation and fear growing in her by the second as she entered her old house and went down to the basement (there weren't any stairs, just a sheer drop; Martians could just drop the distance with no jarring, or float, so there where never any stairs in Martian architecture). She'd put in security, masked the power signature, but that was no guarantee--not where her people were concerned. They were hunters, all. And so, very practiced at finding what did not wish to be found.

As she walked into the room, felt the cold, and saw her though... her heart was set at ease. "My mate..." She spoke; seeing her face again, feeling herself come alive at the sight in a way that she hadn't felt since Artemis had been alive. Whenever she'd come here before, there had always been such sadness to it. Now there was hope and... and joy. Joy like she hadn't been prepared to feel. There Artemis was, her body kept in suspended animation since M'gann had brought her here. She was dead; her spirit, her soul, it wasn't here. But M'gann hadn't been able to bury her. She'd used G'yal's engineering skills to build this place, so she could at least come here to be with, to look upon, what she had left of her dead mate.

"Where are we?" Hope asked. M'gann had set her down on her feet as soon as she'd come in.

"My home." M'gann explained softly, looking over to her and meeting her eyes. "The first place I ever really felt at home." She looked away, trying to avoid the uncomfortable emotions looking at Hope triggered in her. Especially here. What she'd done; who she'd become... She looked over at Mercy's body; which she was still holding in the air with her telekinesis. Would Artemis understand things like that? What she'd done to avenge her; the person her loss had turned her into? Artemis had never been a killer. She'd always tried to believe the best in other people, while being prepared for the worst. When she'd been with her, M'gann had always been a happy, joyful person. She looked back and realized--how much she must have changed from that person? She shuddered a little, feeling the cold in the room for the first time, really.

If, after all that she'd gone through, Artemis rejected her... She couldn't even wrap her mind around that. So, she told herself it wouldn't happen, and tried to forget the thought.

"Who is she?" Hope asked, walking over to the stasis chamber.

"Artemis. My mate." M'gann told, turning away from looking at her dead mate. "Be quiet for now, alright?" She asked Hope.

"Alright." Hope agreed easily.

Artemis wasn't safe here, not with the colony of her people here. She'd planned to leave Mercy's body here, make another stasis chamber for it, then go back to Earth. But she couldn't do that now. She was in no way comfortable with taking that risk. She'd have to take Artemis back with her. She sighed. She was tired. Not so much physically; although she could use something to eat, she realized. No, it was just this weight she felt on herself now; since Artemis died, really, but now most of all, because there was so much pressure not to fail--to make the right decisions, to be safe, to hide and keep what was precious to her safe from harm. She was the strong one; the one with the power. She had to do these things. She had to make her world, her life, right again. No one else would. That was one thing she could not have helped but learn from Artemis's death.

So, she turned the atmosphere generators inside (she'd made them for Artemis who she'd come here with a few times during her life) on; set them to Earth norm so she wouldn't have to focus on that at least (besides, the atmosphere she'd brought with her was almost gone by now, and Hope would need more). Then she gathered her will and her courage and strength, and sent her power out in waves; shearing and ripping this home of hers--the one she and G'yal had shared all those years ago--from its place in this world and shooting it, with her passengers, alive and dead, into space with more relative force than a bullet from a gun. It was a strain, keeping everything steady inside her field, but she did it. Hope only felt some minor jarring. She sped them through space, even faster than she'd made the trip here, all the while doing her best to obfuscate her actions, presence, and destination from any prying minds.

As she'd broken atmosphere though, she could have sworn she'd sensed just the faintest brush against her mind... by someone like herself. So she'd thrown up walls and static and used every trick she knew and hoped it would be enough.

In minutes, she was breaking Earth atmosphere too fast and had to use more power than she might have hoped to slow down in time to not cause a shockwave that might harm the planet's atmosphere a little, as well as certainly drawing the attention of several Earth governments. She felt a little ragged as she made herself and the structure around her invisible and headed to Ivy and Silver's place. She would bury her home for now; somewhere safe. Ivy's lab was built in underground caverns. Maybe she could find a way to put it in one of those?

Exploring, she found a sheer cliffside nearby and sent her thoughts out, using her telekinesis and telepathy like sonar to map how the underground here was structured and learn if there was a way to do what she wanted to do without causing a cave-in or earthquake. She found things to be reasonably stable and found the system of underground caverns to be pretty extensive. She burrowed into the cliff and repaired it behind her so it looked nearly the same as it had. She had to go a little slower than she'd want, but she was finally able to get her home in place not far from Ivy's lab. She set the shielding to maximum so no one would be able to detect the power signature of the other-worldly technology here and then went up into the living room and sat down on a couch and closed her eyes. Hope followed her and sat next to her, leaning on her shoulders, still silent.

"It's okay to talk now, if you want." M'gann offered tiredly. She really wanted to just go to sleep now. Her head was starting to hurt. She still wasn't completely recovered from the damage she'd done herself that had caused her mind-blindness. Instead though, she let herself slip fairly deeply into being G'yal. It felt so nice; soothing. It would also help her recover her strength more quickly, to rest the part of her that was her in favor of the part of her that was G'yal's imprint on her.

"Are you okay?" Hope asked in simple concern.

"Just a little tired." M'gann sighed softly, running her hand through Hope's hair casually.

Hope responded by doing the same for M'gann; it felt good. She'd really come to like having hair very much. She shifted her appearance to Artemis's again just because she wanted to.

"You changed..." Hope observed, a little surprised.

"It's my nature, I guess." She spoke in Artemis's voice.

"You're her; your mate. Why?" Hope asked.

"Because it feels good." She explained, closing her eyes and getting a little more comfortable on the Martian style couch that felt so familiar to her. She remembered sitting here, or laying here, with G'yal, many, many times. She'd always felt so safe and happy doing that. That had been one thing about G'yal. No one had ever made her feel quite as safe, quite as much as though she truly... belonged as she'd felt just being with her, not even Artemis. Letting herself be her now gave her a similar feeling of safety and warmth.

Hope was silent now, just sitting there leaning against her contentedly. M'gann again felt a little guilty for what she was doing to this woman. Making her forget who Mercy was; making her, basically, into a pet. But she would make it up to her, she comforted herself with that thought.

She found her thoughts drifting then back to Artemis, and that thought she'd had before that she didn't want to think about but somehow couldn't shake. What if Artemis didn't like the woman she'd become since her death? What if she rejected her? With everything she had she wished for it not to be so. Oh she had all of Artemis's thoughts, memories, and feelings; and someone who didn't know any better might say--well, then, don't you already know the answer? But she knew very well that just wasn't how it worked. Knowing everything about a person--being able to almost become them even--it didn't make you able to necessarily predict their choices. Especially when the choice was about you and you had such a big stake in it. For one thing; thoughts, feelings, and memories did not a living soul make. It wasn't as though Artemis were actually alive inside her--anyone who'd been inside another living being's mind could never, ever mistake the difference between an imprint and a real, living soul. For another; separating her own desires and fears from the equation, it would just be impossible. She wanted Artemis to accept her back so much, and feared her not doing so to such a degree that objectivity wasn't just out the window, it was practically on another continent--another planet even.

Still, she couldn't help thinking about it; imagining herself talking with her, sharing minds with her again, making love... Artemis would know when they made love if M'gann tried to hide anything from her, and... the idea of doing that while making love, of hiding a part of herself away, it was deeply repellant to her. If she'd done that with G'yal, for example, G'yal would have taken... great offense--been very hurt by it. It was a Martian cultural mores of course, so Artemis might not feel the same way about it; but she would certainly know it's significance, her knowing everything about M'gann as well. And besides, she agreed with the mores. To her, it would just be, well, it was one of the worst things she could think of. She felt guilty for even considering it, actually. But it scared her.

She deliberately forced herself to stop thinking about this, and instead curiously wondered through Hope's mind, trying to distract herself. She didn't take an imprint or pry too much; she just, sort of got to know her a little better. Soothed a few places inside her unconscious that were troubling her new 'pet'.

Soon she felt rested enough, and feared she might fall asleep if she didn't get up. So she got up. "Stay up here, okay?" She asked Hope softly. "Sleep, if you want to."

"Okay." Hope agreed, yawning and snuggling up on the sofa. "So comfortable." She spoke to herself, making M'gann smile a little. It was so wrong, but she kind of liked having a pet. She just had to bring her pet's lover back to life so she could set her free, that was all.

M'gann walked into another room, G'yal's workshop, where she telekinetically arranged things in the familiar configuration she would need for this. Then she reached out with her mind to a storage room and brought the needed parts to her and mentally started to construct a second suspended animation chamber for Mercy. She figured it best to preserve her body as best she could so the Lazarus pit would have the best chance of working on her.

It only took a little while and was fairly easy to do. Having let herself become G'yal as much as she had for this, it felt so easy and... fun, actually; like that part of her that was G'yal was just so pleased and happy to be able to do this sort of thing again. She made a mental note to do this more if she could find the time.

In fact, she considered, it would also be a good idea to construct a few extra security measures for her home here; just to be on the safe side in case her people found her or, well, her current life path probably wasn't the safest one she could have chosen, just what she felt was necessary to do.

Some time later, she'd finished the second chamber, put Mercy's body away in it, and set up as much security as she could think of. She came back into the living room from the basement cold room and saw Hope had fallen asleep. She picked her up and her arms. "Hey, wake up, okay?" She spoke softly to her.

Hope's eyes came open and their eyes met, Hope looked at her trustingly and M'gann felt guilty again. "I'm awake." She smiled, snuggling into her contentedly.

"I'm going to take you to meet my friends, alright? Or, you could stay here if you want?" She offered, unsure of herself.

"Mm, I'd love to meet your friends M'gann. If you like them, I'm sure I'll like them too." Hope answered, closing her eyes.

"...I'm sure they'll like you a lot too." She guessed, feeling warmly towards the woman in her arms. She was comforting somehow, and M'gann found herself caring for her more and more; becoming even more personally invested in restoring her happiness as well as her own. She hoped they could be friends after Mercy was back and M'gann was able to give Hope her memories and feelings about her back and everything. Though, realistically, she knew, Hope would be well within her rights to hate her or not want anything to do with her, she supposed; feeling wistful bout that prospect.

She flew out of her house and out to Ivy's lab. Just being this close to Ivy, M'gann felt it again. The green. That door had been opened inside her and a part of her longed to let it in again--let Ivy in--even if it meant losing herself. She determinedly shut it out though; remembering vividly the pain it had caused her and those she cared for and knowing she had to be at her very best, for Artemis. She knew it, the green and Ivy, weren't intentionally trying to do this to her; it was just more like moth to a flame. Big and pretty and promised to make her feel warm inside. Unlike the moth though, she was confident she could adapt to this, given time, so she could interact with it safely. She just needed to go slow and learn step by step. For now though, she was staying well out of Ivy and Silver's minds; just to be safe.

She floated up through the greenhouse next and sensed someone she hadn't expected. She stopped in place. "Shelley?" She spoke softly to herself. Happiness and wonder spreading through her as she smiled. She could sense her, but she was... different. She shied away from her mind though, sensing the green's newly intense connection to her.

"Who's that?" Hope asked.

"Someone I thought was dead..." She explained, hurrying out onto the lawn and over to her friends, setting Hope down and going over, getting on her knees to hug Shelley. "I'm so happy you're alive." She told, feeling her emotions welling up inside her as Shelley hugged her back. "I'm so sorry, Shelley." She offered, backing away a little and looking into her eyes, holding her shoulders. "I didn't mean..."

"It's okay." Shelley replied softly. "I know you didn't mean what happened."

M'gann looked away over to Nina and immediately reversed the damage she'd done and woke her up. "There; now it's all better." She offered as she sat back and watched Shelley watch Nina's eyes open.

"What happened?" Nina asked.

Shelley almost tackled her, kissing her and pinning her to the ground.

Lina laughed and so did M'gann; the happiness she felt and sensed was a real balm for her. She stood up and Ivy, Silver, and Talia came over to her. "We heard on the news." Silver spoke first.

"He's really dead this time; you're sure?" Ivy asked.

"Burned to ash; don't worry. And I got my telepathy back, obviously. We can move on to your father now." She looked to Talia and smiled. "Then I can get Artemis back, you'll be free and safe, and everything will be so much better." She promised. "...This is Hope by the way." She introduced Hope who'd walked over to be close to her; M'gann sensed it was because she was feeling insure and wanted to be close to her again.

"Hi M'gann's friends." Hope offered softly.

"Hi." Ivy replied, looking her over curiously.

"Hi Hope." Silver echoed.

"You took over her mind, didn't you?" Talia observed.

"It was for the best." M'gann explained, a little insure; not wanting Talia to have a bad opinion of her.

"I'm sure it was." Ivy offered.

"How is Shelley alive?" M'gann asked. "You did something, didn't you?" M'gann asked Ivy, still a little amazed by that.

"Me and Silver." Ivy corrected.

"She was still alive." Silver put in.

"You actually did turn her into a plant." Lina added, coming over to them.

"She just needed encouragement to, um, grow into her... new self." Silver explained.

"How did you get your telepathy back?" Talia asked.

M'gann went on to explain. There was a lot of conversation in the back yard that afternoon. M'gann told them everything that had happened at Luthor's mansion, except for omitting how violently she'd killed Mercy, and telling them about having moved her home to the caves, and about how her people had returned to Mars. M'gann told Shelley how pretty she thought she looked now and again how relieved and happy she was that she was still alive. Later in the evening, she and Talia talked alone for a while, and M'gann was pleased to find her friend still thought of her in high regard. She ended up confessing to her what had really happened with Mercy and Talia understood and still accepted her (though she could tell Talia was a little concerned after her, which was understandable... and really, also appreciated). They talked about Talia's father too, and what their next steps were. They would begin things tomorrow; tonight, M'gann needed sleep.

She ended up taking Hope back to her house with her and curling up with her in bed and falling right to sleep; the protective instinct she seemed to have developed towards her new 'pet' a comforting feeling somehow. It felt nice to have someone to protect again; even if that someone wasn't yet Artemis again.

\--- CATALINA ---

Lina's heart had leapt with delight and relief to see M'gann return, though jealousy had followed almost immediately when she'd seen the unknown woman in her arms. M'gann hadn't met her eyes or seemed to notice her either. She'd gone right to Shelley; which was very understandable--it was amazing and wonderful that she was still alive, and she had such warm feelings towards Ivy and Silver for bringing her back as they had. Next, she'd healed the damage to Nina's mind, having gotten her telepathy back somehow. Lina had had felt so relieved at that too, and happy all three of her recent lovers were now alright. She'd hugged her and Nina had kissed her after Shelley had been done with her. The sight of Shelley almost tackling Nina to the ground like that in joy had made Lina laugh and lifted a weight from her she hadn't quite realized she'd been carrying. Her and M'gann's eyes had met once then, just for a moment, and Lina had felt her heart speed up at that, and when M'gann had looked away and gotten up to talk with Ivy and the others, her heart had filled with just longing. It was almost painful how much she wanted M'gann to love her back the way she loved her. She realized, now that M'gann had her telepathy back, she could just ask her to try to take away that feeling and M'gann would try to--though Lina knew taking away love wasn't so easy as that; perhaps redirecting it...? But Lina didn't want that at all. Pain was better than losing that pain, if it was this sort of pain.

She'd gotten up and gone over to talk with them, just to be close to M'gann more than anything honestly. She'd learned who Hope was and why M'gann had her with her and again, Lina felt jealous of even that connection that Hope had with her.

She and Ivy's eyes had met for a while too, and Lina had to admit, she was in love with Ivy too--if not as strongly as with M'gann--but Ivy also turned her gaze away, uncertainty and confusion apparent in her manner. She'd looked to Silver then, whose eyes had been warm and welcoming, and a little flirty, which did make Lina feel better. She excused herself from the conversation then and went over to Shelley and Nina who where sitting on the ground and talking with Lilhy and Ricky.

She sat down with them. "Lina..." Ricky spoke to her.

Shelley and Nina both hugged her.

"Hi Ricky." She answered him a little oddly, looking at him and wondering how she felt about him. He was basically Silver's now; under her sway totally as far as she could tell. Which meant she could just tell him to go with her and Ricky would; she could take him to a room and make love with him again. She tried to remember her feelings for him... To decide if she still had those feelings for him somewhere inside her.

Lilhy excused herself and went over to look after Tim, who'd been looking off into the sky, sitting by himself.

"Lina, we were wondering..." Nina asked.

"Yes?" Lina replied.

"Would you come to bed with us tonight... I know things have changed." Nina qualified. "I know you're not Ivy's anymore--nether are we, apparently--but we both still feel like we belong here with her, with you."

"We'd... or I'd like to get to know you, Lina. For real this time." Shelley smiled softly to her. "Nina apparently already knows plenty about both of us; I guess you know both of us very well too... Though somehow, I'm left out of that." Referring to her having all of her, Nina, and M'gann's memories, feelings, and emotions from what happened with M'gann. Artemis's too, actually, and some of G'yal's. Nina apparently had the same, like M'gann had thought, and had just been overwhelmed by them, causing her mind to shut down.

Lina found herself smiling back, feeling warm inside. "I'd love that." She answered, feeling happy inside. She met Ricky's eyes and then looked away, into Nina's, then into Shelley's. And she had to admit, she'd been spoiled for men--somehow, it had just happened--she only wanted to be with women now. And if she couldn't have M'gann, or Ivy, or Silver, she felt very lucky to have Nina and Shelley back. She knew everything about both of them, and she found, she loved them too...

All these feelings of love... It almost made her dizzy, actually.

Maybe... maybe she could make it work with them? Maybe they'd help her get over M'gann and Ivy some at least. If she actually needed too. She still held out some small flickering hope about M'gann that seemingly just refused to go away; and Ivy and Silver were a clear possibility, if Ivy decided she wanted that at some point. But until either of those things happened (if they did), at least she wouldn't be alone at night thinking about women she loved but couldn't have--and that meant a lot to her right then. She felt so much like she just wanted to... connect with someone. It almost didn't matter that much to her who, by this point; she just felt like she needed it... badly...

She still shivered a little to think about her memories of what had happened with her, M'gann, Nina, and Shelley. Despite how badly it had turned out--that level of intimacy; she'd never experienced anything like it before, and she craved feeling like that again. The good parts, at least.

So much of her--she hadn't told anyone this, but she'd been making herself become more and more of the imprint she had of M'gann. Her memories, her feelings; she had been making them more and more a part of herself. Because she knew everything M'gann knew, she knew how to do that. It wasn't as easy as it would have been, had she actually been a Martian--it took more time and more care--but she could do it. She was doing it.

It made her feel closer to the woman she was so hopelessly in love with. Like that... If she couldn't have her the way she wanted her, at least she could have a part of her by... by becoming her... To a degree at least. She didn't want to let go of her old self completely by any means, but... she could give up (or, more accurately, set aside) parts of herself for this, at least...

She'd thought of making herself more like Artemis, to make herself more appealing to M'gann perhaps, but... she didn't want to do that. She knew M'gann wouldn't like it for one thing, and it wouldn't be being true to her own heart for another. For now, this was her truth. This was who she wanted to be. If she tricked or manipulated M'gann into loving her, she wouldn't be able to live with it. And of course, she knew just how M'gann felt about Artemis... wouldn't mind sharing M'gann with her, certainly... If that were an option; which it very likely wasn't.

How messed up was it that she was in love with so many women at once? It wouldn't be messed up at all, she thought, if they all were in love with her back.

That's when she realized it. And it was very a very ironic moment for her. Before all this had happened, she'd had very set ideas about couples. She never would have shared Derick with anyone. She'd thought Talia was a bitch for cheating on Bruce with Lilhy. But now; now she kind of hated the idea of couples. As completely wrong as her old self might have thought it, she kind of wanted to have an orgy or something. Free love and all that.

Funny, she thought; who knew having sex with a Martian and two other women would turn her into a hippy?

Of course, she knew she actually didn't want that. Or, if she did, she knew she would never get it at least. She just knew how she felt. She craved being loved, feeling love; the kind of love she remembered between M'gann and Artemis. She'd never had it; not with Derick, not with anyone. She'd never let herself open up that much; never even knew that love like that existed. She'd just wanted... comfort, safety, pleasure, a family... She'd wanted love too; but it had been a childish sort of love. Like the difference between a swimming pool in your back yard that you've seen every day and seeing the ocean for the first time. Now she'd seen the ocean. She knew this kind of love. She remembered having it, even though she knew she never had. It was like this hole inside her that just wouldn't stop hurting. She wanted someone to fill it. She wanted someone to be in love with that way.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(to be continued)


	15. Show Me

PART 15: SHOW ME

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

\--- TALIA ---

Earlier, in the back yard, before the rain, Talia and M'gann were going over to a bench by the rose bushes to talk.

When they got there, Talia impulsively hugged M'gann. "I'm glad you're back alright." She spoke fondly, her hands resting on M'gann's shoulders, their eyes meeting. M'gann was the same height as her. Talia brushed a hand through her hair affectionately.

M'gann smiled a little shyly to her. "Thanks." She replied softly, resting her hands on Talia's waist.

Talia slid her hands from M'gann's shoulders and took M'gann's hands in her own and squeezed them. "Sit with me for a while? So we can talk?" She asked.

"Okay." M'gann agreed easily, looking to her with a trusting and open expression. How had she brought those things out in her, Talia wondered? She saw how M'gann was with others. She seemed to have particular ways of behaving towards each person--no two the same. Humans did the same of course, to varying degrees, but with M'gann the differences were more noticeable, and she seemed more comfortable with it too--didn't try to hide it at all--like it was just how a person was supposed to do things; where humans would try to disguise it, afraid they'd be perceived as less than genuine. Maybe it was just a Martian trait. With her, for some reason, she got the distinct feeling M'gann thought of her not unlike an older sister somehow. Which was oddly charming for someone so used to feeling like the younger sister. She would have wondered if it were a deliberate calculation on M'gann's part to endear herself to her for some ends, except she knew M'gann well enough to know her friend simply didn't think like that. Despite how hardened life had made her, she still wore her heart on her sleeve, as the expression went. If she felt something, she expressed it... if she trusted you enough. If not, she would simply withhold herself from you. It was a refreshingly honest way of relating to the world. And Talia had to admit, she found herself enjoying the role of adoptive elder sibling... Even though M'gann was actually about twenty years older than her, but they'd both been alive more than three-hundred years so it wasn't that big of an age difference. Comparatively they were very near the same age; which was also a refreshing thing for her as she hadn't met someone her own age in hundreds of years. She found herself feeling oddly protective of her 'younger sister' in fact.

"How are you feeling... about all of this?" Talia asked her caringly.

M'gann wouldn't look at her. "I'm... I'm doing alright." She replied, finally looking over to meet her eyes. "We'll bring back Artemis soon. As long as that's true... then I'm fine." She told, looking off towards the greenhouse, trying to put on a positive face.

"Why do I get the feeling that's not as true as you'd have me take it as?" Talia asked.

"Probably because it's not." M'gann admitted.

"Tell me." Talia half asked, half instructed her.

"...There are two things, but they relate to each other." M'gann told her, looking over to her friend and meeting her eyes. "After we shared minds, you told me... that I shouldn't be ashamed of the part of me that... that enjoyed the hunt, enjoyed the kill. You said it was just a part of who I was..."

"And that who you are, is beautiful." Talia softly finished, cupping M'gann's cheek and looking into her eyes. "You are." She promised, kissing her cheek. "You are very, very beautiful, M'gann."

M'gann smiled a little shyly to her, looking curiously into her eyes. Talia could feel her brushing against her thoughts too, not intruding, just touching a little, softly, as in a caress. A sign of affection, she recognized. "I wonder, if I showed you what I did today, let you feel everything of it, would you feel the same?" She asked. There was no challenge or reluctance in her voice, just this neutral expectancy. Talia knew, though M'gann had not exactly said as much, that it was M'gann's way of communicating that she was offering a choice and that she would not think any differently of her, whichever way she chose.

"Show me then." Talia chose. "If it will help you, show me."

M'gann did, and Talia all at once felt herself living through everything that had happened at Luthor's mansion. The attacks that had come against her, how she'd killed everyone who'd attacked her, including the false Kal-El that she'd killed and burned to ash. The hunter in her--she felt it--felt herself smiling and hungry and darkly angry at being hurt. Felt the instinct to tear and rip and kill take root in her. Felt herself hone in on her prey--find him. Saw Mercy Graves attacking her as she came through the wall. There had been no thought--she'd just been on her, tearing her apart--her teeth, so sharp--ripping flesh--killing. Luthor--felt herself kill him--smash him to grime and bone dust against that wall--felt the satisfaction of it. Then saw--heard--Hope beg for her life. And everything after that until now. M'gann held nothing of it back. "...You think she won't love you... If she sees this--feels this... Don't you?" Talia asked, looking over to the greenhouse. M'gann was still in her mind, she could feel it, but didn't mind.

"Your feelings towards me... they haven't changed, have they?" M'gann asked, sounding a little vulnerable, despite that she must already know the answer.

Talia felt her friend leave her mind and she closed her eyes. She smiled softly. "You don't know me as well as I thought you did if you honestly thought they would." She looked over to M'gann and touched her hair. "I can't tell you if your wife, your mate, will still love you, sister. If she will still want to be with you, once she's seen these changes in you. The only way you'll know, of course, is to find that out from her." She moved closer to M'gann who met her eyes trustingly, she touched her hair and cheek in a caress and kissed her forehead gently, then the tip of her nose and smiled to her playfully. "But speaking for me--I see what drives you; what matters to you... I can tell what's in your heart. The joy and hope and love there that wants badly to express itself still, even after all you've been hurt. That you have the conviction and strength to be true to that, is something to be proud of, not ashamed over. If I were your mate, I'd be more attracted to you, not less, because you were willing to do something like that for me--for our future--even though it torments you so."

M'gann hugged her then and Talia hugged her back warmly, protectively. True, what she'd seen in M'gann's mind, it had actually been horrible to experience in a way, but in another... Talia had actually enjoyed it too, she had to admit to herself. The sense of power and ferocity--freedom from thought--just feeling like that... Feeling M'gann as though she -were- her, as though they were the same person; if only for the minutes that it had took for M'gann to share her experiences. It was all... very intimate somehow--very special. She knew something of white Martian culture, from what she'd shared with M'gann, and so she knew--a memory like that was a very private one; not to be shared lightly. It would be even more so for M'gann, who didn't think of herself as other white Martians thought of themselves. To her people, the memory would be a beautiful one. And through Talia couldn't quite bring herself to see it that way, any more than M'gann could either apparently, it actually did have the net affect of endearing M'gann to her that much more somehow.

"Thanks, Talia." M'gann smiled to her. "I think I really needed to hear that."

"You're welcome." Talia answered, smiling softly to her, stroking her hair a little.

M'gann looked into her eyes curiously and then lay her head on her shoulder. "I'm so glad you're my friend." She spoke softly. "...I hope we always will be."

"I want that too, very much." Talia agreed, continuing to stroke M'gann's hair. "Already... you feel like a sister to me."

"...Do I remind you of Nyssa then?" M'gann asked playfully.

"Thankfully no." Talia smiled. "One of her is enough, thank you."

"Can I mind-link with you for a while? Just passively." M'gann asked, brushing up against Talia's thoughts in that caressing way again.

"Of course." Talia accepted, knowing it was usual for friends in green Martian culture to do this when the talked; it was just social intimacy, not romantic or sexual.

"Good." M'gann replied, and Talia felt M'gann in her mind again, then she felt M'gann herself--felt herself able to 'see' inside her just like M'gann could for her. It was oddly comforting somehow. She felt warmth, affection, trust, friendship from M'gann. How M'gann thought of her, how she saw her. And M'gann saw and felt those things from Talia as well. It was a sharing of perspective and perception, mostly. "Is this okay?" She asked her.

"More than okay, it's nice." Talia answered.

"I had a sister once." M'gann told softly. "On Mars; the green Martian family that adopted me--they had a daughter and a son. So I had a brother and a sister. Her name was Z'raya, his name was R'eon."

"Z'raya was an artist... She made paintings; murals. She was very kind." Talia continued, seeing them so clearly in M'gann's mind. "She had so much... peace and calmness to her. You loved to watch her while she painted. R'eon liked to tease you." She smiled fondly. "He liked making people laugh. It was such a happy life, wasn't it?" She asked wistfully.

"Mm... Yes... Some of my favorite memories... You can have them all if you want them?" M'gann offered.

"You're sure?" Talia asked. "I'd love that."

Then Talia felt the memories just sort of drift into her, and she couldn't help but smile, and cry a little, because she knew the people in them were now long sense dead.

"I'm glad someone else misses them besides me." She spoke softly.

"...Doesn't Catalina? And Nina for that matter?" Talia asked.

"...I suppose. But... that wasn't on purpose. And, well... I guess I'm trying not to think about that, actually." She admitted.

"Why?" Talia asked.

"...Because Lina's in love with me now." She answered softly. "Since it happened." She explained.

"Oh... That's unfortunate then, isn't it?" She observed, understanding why this would be so difficult a subject for M'gann.

"It really is." She agreed, saying no more.

"Especially because you return her feelings..." Talia observed further. Mind linked as they were, M'gann would have had to intentionally block that from her; and M'gann, though she might have wished to, would never do that. She would consider it a betrayal of Talia's friendship to do so.

"...Especially because of that; yes." She admitted.

"Lina doesn't know, does she? That you love her back?" Talia asked, though she was fairly sure she knew the answer.

"I doubt it." M'gann told her honestly. "...But it would hurt us both more if I told her."

"Because you wouldn't chose her." Talia supplied.

"Artemis is my mate. There is no choice for me. I wouldn't want one if there was... I belong to her. I thought that wasn't true anymore; because she died. Like G'yal, my first mate died, and I... I had to move on, eventually. But now that I know I can bring her back; that I -will- bring her back, no matter what..."

"There's no choice." Talia echoed M'gann's conclusion. "You just want Artemis; no one else will do for you." She didn't mention the unspoken reason that she could sense in M'gann's mind as to why there was no conflict between G'yal her first mate and Artemis her second; because G'yal was now just dust on the Martian wind, and not even a Lazarus pit could bring her back. Which, while Talia would never call that anything of a blessing, she knew M'gann would be intensely conflicted if that were not so. She would bring them both back of course; if she could. There would be no question in that for her--but for her to have to chose--it would be torturous for her friend. She had no idea how M'gann would manage to deal with it. Her people (white Martians) mated for life much more often than not, and had never had to deal with Lazarus pits.

"Exactly so." M'gann answered. "And she knows that too; she has to. But she keeps looking at me like she doesn't. Like there could be something between us. I don't know why."

"...If Artemis were suddenly someone else's mate, not yours somehow, wouldn't you look at her that way?" Talia asked.

She felt an intense surge of anger, almost fury go through M'gann at just the thought of that--but M'gann stubbornly clamped down on the feeling--Talia could feel her struggling with it. "Don't say things like that..." M'gann told her softly. "Please; just don't. Okay?"

"...Sorry." Talia answered. White Martians mated for life. In their society; if Artemis had been with another without M'gann's consent (consent which would not be normally given by a typical white Martian, especially a female), M'gann's response would have to be to fight her challenger to the death--perhaps even to fight her mate to the death afterwards--if the betrayal could not be reconciled any other way between them. M'gann was anything but a typical white Martian of course--had adopted much of the more liberal green Martian culture in fact--but her instincts and attitudes about her mate were still very strong and personal and tended towards white rather than green in this instance. To her, suggesting that Artemis would not be faithful to her, would go so far as to take another as a mate over her, was... an intensely maddening thought to suggest. One M'gann very much would not want to even consider--especially now, Talia realized with regret.

"...It's alright." M'gann told her.

"If you were a typical white Martian, you'd have killed me for that, wouldn't you? Even... even if we were friends." Talia realized this with a little incredulity.

"...Probably, yes." M'gann told her. "At least there would be a fight."

Talia shook her head a little. "No wonder you ran away."

"It's not a nice thing, but my people aren't known for their kindness... Still, for them, that's romance. That's passion... and love." She explained softly.

"Maybe we should talk about something else then?" Talia offered.

M'gann moved up and kissed Talia's cheek before resting her head on her shoulder and snuggling up to her again. "...Things are going well between you and your mate?" M'gann asked kindly.

Talia smiled softly to herself, a memory of her and Lilhy kissing just recently coming to her mind unbidden.

She could almost feel M'gann smile. "That's a yes then. I'm... I'm very happy for you."

Talia looked over at her wife to be. Lilhy was over talking with Silver again, the two of them having become great friends apparently, much to Talia's delight. She was happy Lilhy had made a friend. Her lover didn't do that easily, Talia knew. Besides her and Jean Paul, Silver was the only other person Lilhy had warmed to so much in her whole life, to Talia's knowledge. She felt so lucky to have her; to be in love with her. She wondered why it had taken M'gann to give her the courage to be true to that. She looked down at her hands. "It's only because of you, I think." She admitted, reaching over and taking one of M'gann's hands in hers.

"...Sometimes, everyone needs help... I think... I think I was slowly going mad before I found my way here. To you and Ivy and everyone. I was losing myself; little bits at a time. So lonely... So lost..." She explained softly. "Any debt you owe me--I owe you at least as much for what you've given me."

"...Well, that makes me feel a little better, I suppose." She admitted.

"...Tell me about your family... Your father, your sister... Is your mother still alive?" M'gann asked.

"...No, she's not." Talia answered, feeling herself retract and close her emotions off, though it frustrated her that it was still her reaction.

"...You can tell me. Let me in... We're friends; it's safe with me--you know that, don't you?" M'gann asked, moving up and touching Talia's cheek, gently moving her head over towards her until they were looking into one another's eyes.

Talia smiled to her and touched her face, feeling that trust--that bond between them--become stronger. Her trust in M'gann started to override her fear. She'd never spoken to anyone but Nyssa of this; not even Lilhy, yet. "I know that." Talia answered softly.

M'gann smiled more, her expression encouraging and comforting. Talia brushed her thoughts over M'gann's in an imitation of the mental caress M'gann had given her before. She could do that now because they were linked and M'gann had opened that bridge between them and was maintaining it. M'gann closed her eyes and smiled fondly. "It's been a long time since I've felt that..." M'gann admitted. "Here, you lean on me for a while?" She offered.

"...Alright..." Talia agreed, finding it a novel but welcome idea. She lay her head on M'gann's shoulders and closed her eyes, snuggling up to her as M'gann held her close and rested her head on hers. "I... I don't actually know what happened to my mother, honestly..." She admitted softly.

"When... When I was little..." She started to say, but the words were hard in coming.

"When you were little, one day, she was just gone." M'gann finished for her. "Father never told you... You never knew..."

"He could have simply cast her out; grown tired of her." Talia spoke softly.

"...But you suspect he might have killed her, don't you?" M'gann realized, abject disgust and revulsion flaring up in her.

Talia was quiet.

"Before I kill him, I will rip his mind apart--I will find you your answer. I promise I will." M'gann pledged bitterly.

Talia smiled softly. "See? Humans can surprise you, can't they? How very awful we can be when we put our minds to it." She replied softly.

"...Compared to Martian societies, there's a lot more variation in that way, yes." M'gann answered with quiet surety in her voice. "...Do you remember much about her? Your mother?"

Talia smiled softly. "Only some things. Like, she used to make tea for us; just me and her... And she'd touch my hair, and tell me how much I meant to her; how pretty I was..."

"...I can help you remember if you want? Everything. Every moment with her, I can give you those back...?" She offered.

Talia was quiet for moments. "...Please; yes... I would; that would mean a great deal." She accepted softly, trying not to cry at the thought of it.

M'gann touched her cheek, then cupped it in her hand and looked into her eyes and suddenly Talia felt like she wasn't there anymore; like she was in a strange woman's arms, just after being born. "The gods have given you a little girl." The woman spoke as she handed her to her mother and she was wrapped in her arms; her mother's kind, loving eyes looking down into hers.

"She is beautiful..." Her mother answered softly. And from there, it was as though she lived through everything--every moment of her childhood, seen through adult eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(to be continued)


	16. The Way Of The World

PART 16: THE WAY OF THE WORLD

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

\--- LILHY ---

Silver had somehow drawn her into a conversation about what she'd like her future with Talia to look like, as well as what Silver thought her own future with Ivy would be like, which mostly had just gotten down to a game of 'wouldn't it be nice if...'. Somehow, she found it strangely easy to talk with this woman; even cathartic. She seemed to just know what things to say and what things Lilhy, who'd always considered herself a very private person, didn't want to talk about--and she could push her just that little bit more that made it feel like she was happy someone cared to ask, but not so much as she would think it too personal or too unpleasant to get into.

Whatever happened in their futures, Lilhy found herself hoping Silver and Ivy would be a part of her and Talia's lives.

She was just laughing at something Silver said that had surprised her (Silver also had a wit that, in a good way, tended to catch you off guard), when she looked over and saw Talia fainting in M'gann's arms. "What on Earth..." She was up on her feet and running across the lawn before she could even think about it.

"What did you do to her!?" She demanded, kneeling down and looking at her lover's face.

"What happened?" Silver asked more calmly, if with concern, coming up behind her.

"It's alright; she's fine." M'gann spoke soothingly, touching Lilhy's face; the knowledge of what she'd done becoming apparent to her through M'gann's telepathy.

"She's... You're giving her memories of her mother back to her..." Lilhy looked up into M'gann's face with wonder. "She wanted you to..."

"Yes." M'gann answered softly. "I can carry her to your room for you, if you want?" She offered.

"It's... It's going to take a while, isn't it? Until the morning, probably..." Lilhy spoke out loud the information, the understanding, M'gann had given to her.

"Probably." M'gann allowed, touching Lilhy's face.

Lilhy jerked away and glared a little at the other woman.

"...I'm sorry I scared you; I should have... I should have let you know first." M'gann offered a little helplessly; apparently... embarrassed?

"You both should have; yes." Lilhy answered, looking down at Talia and feeling angry with her, while still feeling a little scared--despite knowing she probably didn't need to be. "...Silver, could you carry her for me, please?" She asked softly.

"Um, yeah... okay." Silver agreed, looking to M'gann and offering a conciliatory shrug; which annoyed Lilhy for some reason. She knelt down and took Talia from M'gann.

"You're upset with me... I'm sorry; really." M'gann offered uneasily, obviously trying to appease her. It wasn't working; it just grated on her nerves actually, making her momentarily reconsider her plans for the future--and whether it wouldn't be wiser to just take her lover away from all this and find a nice uncomplicated corner of the world and settle down there. Fuck everything and everyone else--maybe even Jean Paul. Of course, all this allowing that they'd even really be allowed to leave.

"Ready." Silver spoke; standing up and carrying Talia with apparently negligible effort--which still amazed Lilhy a little.

"Lilhy, I, um... Please don't be mad at me?" M'gann offered.

"Just...!" Lilhy turned on her, about to yell at her; but she couldn't quite think what to say or get up the nerve to say it. That, and the sincere remorse on M'gann's face was a little hard to stay mad at; which was also annoying. Looking at her, she wanted to trust her; wanted to trust all of this--she'd started to; started to think that Talia might have been right to trust these people--that this really might all be what it seemed. Then this happened and her fears were all back in full force. "I'm sure I'll get over it... After she wakes up and I know she's alright." She spoke stiffly, turning away; Silver following after her.

"It'll be okay." She heard Silver say, though she wasn't sure who she'd said it to; her or M'gann, or maybe both. She couldn't help but be a little offended at Silver. She felt like Silver was -her- friend, more than she was M'gann's at least, so she should be on -her- side.

Silver came up beside her. "M'gann and Talia; they're close, right? I'm sure M'gann wouldn't have done this if she thought it would hurt her. You know that right?" Silver offered.

Lilhy didn't say anything until they got to the house where she held the door open for her friend and her lover.

"Just because a person knows something, doesn't make it true." She answered finally as the door closed. "You should know that as much as me."

"I should know that, huh?" Silver asked a little pointedly; just a wisp of humor in her voice.

Lilhy shook her head a little. "I just... I hate this. I hate her for this; I can't help it."

"Hate who?" Silver asked as they made their way through the house.

"M'gann; her." She referred to Talia. "Maybe even you a little." She confessed.

"Me? What did I do?" She asked, sounding a little hurt.

"You're supposed to be -my- friend, not hers." She explained a little defensively; though she knew she was being petty, she couldn't help it. She was feeling vulnerable about this. And she hated the feeling. But it was what it was and she was who she was; no helping it.

"I -am- your friend." Silver defended, sounding like she took some offense at Lilhy questioning that. Which, actually did make her feel a little better for some reason.

"So, why didn't you take my side?" She asked quietly.

"You..." She sighed. "Why are you being like this?" She asked, a little annoyed.

That she was annoyed also made Lilhy feel a little better. Not nearly enough better, but a little; and that was something. "Oh, never mind, alright? ...I'm being unreasonable probably; I know that." She allowed as she held the door to her and Talia's room open for her friend.

"Lilhy..." Silver began as she sat Talia down on the bed gently.

"I just hate her for this, alright? I want to hurt her..." She clenched her fists and met Silver's eyes, glaring at her.

"M'gann?" Silver asked gently.

"Fuck yes." Lilhy answered in a little of a frustrated growl, going over and sitting by her lover on the bed.

"...Why?" Silver asked more gently still, sitting down on the bed with her.

"...She's mine... She's meant to be mine, alright?" She confessed a little bitterly. "And... And that... That damn alien slut; she just..."

"Hey!" Silver exclaimed forcefully. "I know you're mad at her--I get it--but you don't call her that! You shouldn't call anyone that." She spoke fiercely.

Lilhy just looked into her friend's eyes, feeling a little lost. Silver obviously felt strongly... "Fine; I'm sorry then. Can you just go please?" She asked, annoyed and frustrated.

"...No; I'm not leaving like this." Silver answered, reaching out and placing her hand over Lilhy's. "Talk to me; I -am- your friend, Lilhy--you know that, right?"

Lilhy looked up and met her eyes; emotions feeling a little jagged. "Didn't I tell you--just because you know something, it doesn't make it true."

"I... Fuck; will you just quit it already?" Silver demanded. "...Tell me what's wrong, Lilhy; just... Just tell me; okay?"

"...Fine." She answered a little bitterly.

"...Well?" Silver asked when Lilhy didn't immediately answer.

"Well what?" She glared at her friend. "I'm thinking, alright? Damn it..." She tried to think of what to say. She wasn't used to this. Having to talk like this. She talked with Talia--of course she did--but it wasn't like this. Whenever they had an argument, it just kind of turned into a sex thing. It was so much easier to talk to her after that; feeling relaxed, satisfied... happy... safe... loved. The only other friend she'd had, Jean Paul; he was as bad at sharing his feelings as she was, so they pretty much both avoided it as a rule--unless one of them needed to get something off their chest, in which case the other would mostly just listen and make agreeable noises or something. Silver was, well, different...

To her credit though, she waited patiently for her to collect her thoughts. "I hate the idea of... Of that woman; I hate the idea of her in my lover's head. I hated it when it first happened, and I hate it even more now. And I know; I know the first time, it helped her get... past some things. Get past... him... and her father. And... And I suppose I'm grateful for that. But... I thought that was the end of it. It -should- have been the fucking end of it. She had no business being in her head again; none! She's meant to me mine, Silver, mine! No one else's; certainly not hers..."

"...Oh, Lilhy..." Silver spoke, rubbing her hand over hers a little.

"I know; she was just trying to... To help or something, but... Fuck, I hate it, Silver. I hate her. I hate... It shouldn't be that easy. None of this... None of this feels like... She basically raped you; you... You realize that; don't you?" She met Silver's eyes a little defiantly. She hadn't really wanted to get into this; but if Silver really wanted to talk about this, she wasn't going to dance around it for her sake when Silver wasn't affording her the same option.

"I... What; what are you talking about?" She asked, a little coldness seeping into her tone.

"I'm saying: Ivy basically raped you, Silver. She took you and made you kill for her; made you have sex with her whenever she wanted--you were essentially her pretty little puppet woman, weren't you? And then you're free, and you're just, what? In love with her? It's just that easy? Doesn't anything about that seem wrong to you?" She asked.

"...You don't understand..." Silver answered softly, looking down at their joined hands.

"Maybe I don't; maybe I don't want to..." She grabbed her friend's hand and held it tight. "Maybe you need someone who doesn't know anything about all this telling you just what it looks like?" Silver met her eyes. "Maybe you just can't see it yourself."

Silver smiled a little. "Maybe I can't." She admitted softly. "I don't know."

"So?" Lilhy asked.

"So? So nothing, Lilhy." She answered gently. "So I love her; and even if what you're saying might be partly true, it really... It just doesn't matter. I can't not be in love with her; and I don't want to be." She sighed. "Would I have rather it all happened differently? I... I don't know. I probably never will know. Are you telling me you'd rather you and Talia had never come here; had never met M'gann--that she'd never have done what she did for Talia?"

"...Maybe. Maybe I would... Maybe I would have liked her to have been able to have made the choice on her own. Maybe I'd have liked to know if..."

"If she would have chosen you?" Silver put forward. "On her own, you mean."

"Yes!" Lilhy answered, looking down at her lover meaningfully. "...Don't you wish that? Don't you want to know if you'd have chosen to be with Ivy on your own?"

"...Not really." Silver admitted. "I'm sure I would have. And I know you'll say just because I know it doesn't make it true, but just... Just trust me on this; it's true, okay? For me... For me, it'll always be true."

Lilhy smiled a little ruefully at that. "Then I suppose I might just envy you a little... If she ever did to me what Ivy did to you, I think... I'm not at all sure I wouldn't kill her with my bare hands." She spoke softly.

Silver was silent. "You wouldn't... You wouldn't really do that; would you?" She asked gently.

"Who knows?" Lilhy answered simply. "...When it comes to her, I find I can never reliably predict my own emotions. I'm often surprised by what I will and what I won't do."

"...Join the club." Silver replied a little ironically.

"...Would you permit it, Silver? Having another woman mess around in your lover's head; not knowing what she may be doing in there?" She asked a little bitterly.

"Um, well... I don't know. Maybe. If it were M'gann, I probably wouldn't have a problem with it much, if it's what Ivy wanted too." She told her honestly. "But then again, I wouldn't mind it if she and M'gann or she and someone else made love together either; so maybe I'm not the best comparison."

Lilhy just looked at her, a look of shock and confusion on her face. "...You can't be serious." She answered skeptically. "You're joking, right?"

"Nope. I'm just wired that way I guess; always have been." She admitted. "It's gotten me into trouble sometimes. I've been called a slut, or worse, more than once, if I'm going to be honest. That's probably why I just... I really don't like that word much."

"I... I'm not sure what to say to that..." Lilhy admitted.

"There's nothing -to- say really; I guess I just... Love who I love. I mean -I've- never really understood why people would be the other way about it. You know; possessive and everything... Not really; not in my heart ...Not that I think there's something wrong with monogamy or anything; It'd be heaven, just me Ivy for the rest of our lives if she that's what she wanted... That's not even a question..." Silver explained.

"...What does she want?" Lilhy asked.

"...I don't know; she... hasn't really said for sure. She assumed that's how it would be I guess, just her and me; then Lina surprised her by kissing her in the hallway earlier. She used to be so in love with her, back in college, you know? With Lina? The feelings haven't gone away, at least not all of them. I told her I wouldn't mind sharing. I mean, I like Lina a lot. I don't think I'd have any problem falling in love with her in fact... I think it could be a really good thing, actually. Which, you know, my telling Ivy that was apparently only slightly less of a shock to her than it was to you just now. So... I think she's mostly just kind of... confused about it for now." She finished her sort of rambling confession.

Lilhy just sort of shook her head a little. "We're very different people, aren't we, Silver St. Cloud? Strange then, that I'd still want so much to be your friend, isn't it?" She asked, meeting Silver's eyes.

"Mm, maybe. Does it really matter through?" She asked.

"No... I guess it really doesn't, does it?" Lilhy replied truthfully. Silver was her friend, of course she knew that. She knew that now even more in fact; even for only having known her a short time--because Silver had stayed with her and still wanted to help, even after being so rudely dismissed. She knew also, of course, that she wouldn't take Talia away to that far off corner of the world either. Nor would she leave Jean Paul dead; most especially not that. She felt a stab of guilt for thinking that before. He'd been such a good friend to her; to have thought of abandoning him so for her own sake was... It shamed her that she had. Besides, practicality would out, wouldn't it? They had to deal with Talia's father, or he would probably not cease until she were dead and Talia bound to a man of his choosing, bearing him the grandsons he wished from her. A thought that sickened her to the core. M'gann was their way to that end, to his end; she knew it, and though she hated it far less than she hated the other alternative, that hardly made her feel much better about it all. It made her wish she were the Martian in this equation, in fact; that she were the one with the power--the one who could rescue Talia from all of her troubles...

"...M'gann would probably, you know, back off, if she knew you felt like this about it." Silver offered.

"...Perhaps I -should- have a talk with her... At some point..." She allowed. "I'm just... How sure are you that she can be trusted?" She asked.

"Um, well, pretty sure I guess. Why? Why wouldn't we trust her?" Silver asked.

"Why wouldn't we..." Lilhy pinched the bridge of her nose. "Why wouldn't we trust her? How can you even... Silver, she could literally make us think anything she wanted to; tell me that's not true. We're completely at her mercy, and she's already proven she'll betray her friends if she thinks there's a better offer. How are you not badly scared of her?"

Silver smiled and shook her head a little. "Well, three things really." She replied.

"Uh-huh; well, tell me then." She asked, actually really wanting to know. The truth was, she'd been scared since this whole thing had started and she'd been forced against her will by M'gann to walk in from the van outside this house. She'd have been a fool not to be, the way she saw things. She'd mostly just gone along with everything because she figured it would be more dangerous not to. And she'd tried to make friends with Silver mostly so she'd have an ally, not because she'd genuinely had an interest in making a friend. And she hadn't confided most of her fears to Talia, because she'd been afraid of what M'gann might do if she did. She hadn't for a moment thought it all that likely that the Martian woman was as sincere as Talia seemed to think she was in her offer to just let them go if that's what they wanted.

"One: Obviously, if she -were- inclined to make us think whatever she wanted us to think, then you -obviously- wouldn't be thinking what you're thinking right now, I'm sure." Silver told.

"Obviously." Lilhy agreed, already having considered that of course. It didn't mean M'gann was trustworthy though, it was just as possible if not more so that she simply didn't consider her to be any sort of threat; which was, of course, true. Lilhy knew she stood about as much chance in any sort of confrontation with M'gann M'orzz as would a sparrow against a hurricane.

"Second: She can't actually do that; at least not where Nina, Ivy, or I are concerned. We all know what happened the last time she tried to 'tune in' to our wavelength." She told her.

"Mm. And the third thing?" Lilhy asked, having to admit that the first two things did make her feel somewhat better, at least.

"I just don't think she'd do that; even if she could. I trust her, I guess. She's done nothing but try to help us, hasn't she?" She asked. "Is it really fair to mistrust her just because she has more power than we do?"

Lilhy shook her head a little. "I'd trust her more if she'd stay out of my lover's head." She answered bitterly. She knew she was, perhaps, being at least somewhat unreasonable and unfair about this, but she couldn't help it. She couldn't help feeling... well, what Silver had assessed. Possessive. Talia felt like hers. The feeling had just grown in her the longer she'd been with her. Each time they'd kissed. Every look, every touch, made Lilhy want Talia for herself just that much more.

"Well, like I said, you could just talk with her about it." Silver offered.

"Right. So she'll 'back off'..." Lilhy finished softly.

"Lilhy..." Silver tried.

"No, you know, maybe I'm jealous? Maybe that's it." She offered, still looking at Talia's sleeping form, avarice and desire tugging at her heart.

"...Jealous?" Silver asked.

"Maybe I wish it had been me. That it could have been me. That it could be me... That I could have been the one to go into her mind and get her to see things... See herself like M'gann was able to. That I could; that I had the power to slay her father for her--burn down anyone and anything thing that threatened her. That I could... protect her. Be her... Be her everything." She confessed.

"...You can be her everything without burning people to death with eye lasers, Lilhy... Come on, you can... You have to believe that..." Silver urged.

Lilhy smiled a little. "...I think the world has, perhaps, been kinder to you than me." Lilhy replied a little sadly.

"...What do you mean?" Silver asked.

"Only what I suspect your Ivy already has learned. That in this world, if you want something, you have to be able to take it; to keep it. And for that, you need strength. Power. Even ruthlessness." Lilhy told her. "There is no fairness, kindness, or justice inherent in anything ...Least of all, love."

"...You're right of course." Silver answered softly. "But you're wrong too."

"...What do you mean?" Lilhy asked.

"The world isn't any of those things. The green of the world, they struggle for things--for light and warmth and water, but... Believe me, if you asked a plant what fairness or justice or kindness was, they wouldn't know what you were asking. They would know of love, in their won way, but mostly they just... are. The things you're talking about, they aren't in the world--they're in us, or they're not. They're things that people control. If everyone in the world decided to be fair and just and kind and loving, then the world you're talking about would be those things. It would be just that easy I think." She told gently.

"...Then why don't we, I wonder." Lilhy answered, still looking down at Talia.

"Some people do. Ivy at least tries very hard to, for instance. It's all she wants I think, you know, besides me I suppose. And maybe Lina." She allowed. "It's up to you, I guess, whether you think she's going about it in the right way. If you want to be a part of it."

Lilhy looked over and met her friend's eyes. "...Then I suppose I might be part of the problem then. Mostly, all I want is her. Her, you, a few other friends maybe, and Jean Paul back, and no one trying to take that from me, and I'd be happy. Do you think badly of me for that?" She asked.

Silver smiled softly. "Sunlight, water, clean air, earth, and good company. That's all a lot of plants want too. I could hardly think badly of you for wanting the same things, now could I?" She replied, caressing her arm a little to show she meant it.

Lilhy smiled, and she felt a little like a weight had been lifted from her somehow. "Thanks Silver... for being my friend." She answered softly. "I think I badly needed one."

"You're welcome. But, you know, it goes both ways. I'm... I'm really glad you're here, Lilhy. It means a lot to me, to have someone I can talk to like this."

"...You can't talk to Ivy like this?" She asked softly.

"Nope; no objectivity there. I like kissing her too much." She admitted.

Lilhy smiled. "There is that... If you were Talia, we would definitely have been having sex by now." She admitted back.

"Even if you were arguing?" Silver questioned.

"-Especially- if we were arguing." Lilhy told her, stroking Talia's face. "...Can I just--I think I just want to sit with her for a while--is that okay?" She asked her friend, meeting her eyes again.

"Sure, of course." Silver agreed easily. "Have... Have a good night." She offered, getting up from the bed.

"You also." Lilhy replied, looking back to her lover.

"...Lilhy..." Silver spoke, standing by the door.

"Yes?" Lilhy asked.

Silver just looked into her eyes for a few moments then shook her head. "Nothing, sorry... Have a good night."

"...Have a good night, Silver." She answered back, wondering to herself a little what Silver would have said if she'd said what she'd been thinking. She decided though, that if Silver had something important to tell her, she'd get to it in her own time.

She turned her attention back to Talia then and went over to her; looking raptly at her face, and feeling that just... tug, on her heart, like she was powerless against it. That wanting... Wanting this woman to be hers. She touched her face, her lips, with her fingertips. "This face; this... This body..." She touched her lover's chest and felt a shiver of yearning go through her. "Why does it torment me so?" She asked softly, moving down to kiss her in sleep. She felt her lover respond just a little, even in sleep, and it thrilled her; though she wasn't sure she wanted it to have quite that much on an effect on her own state of being. She'd never been sure about that; about how wise it had ever been to love this woman.

"All the trouble you cause me." She spoke to her. "All the... lust... I feel for you. They would say it was a sin; but they would lie, wouldn't they? They always lie." She kissed Talia's neck and smelled her scent, snuggling up to her a little and feeling like she was home. "You are my truth, Talia. My... My religion." She kissed her again. "I could... I could worship you, I think, in my weaker moments." She snuggled in closer and lay on top of her sleeping lover.

"When you looked into my eyes, for the first time, I think I knew even then... How easily you could drive me to this... How... How weak you would make me..." She got up on her hands and looked down into her lover's peaceful face. "And you knew it too, didn't you?" She spoke a little bitterly. "You knew--you knew I wouldn't leave you--wouldn't turn away from you, and all the while you were going to that man and taking your pleasures with him. Bedding him; when you knew how it hurt me. Knew I would still be there waiting... I should hate you; I know I should." She accused even more bitterly, sitting up and hooking her hand into her lover's shirt, then tearing it open, breaking off some of the buttons.

"Let that slut into your mind. Just like you let that whore into your bed instead of me." She took off Talia's bra and ripped away the rest of the buttons. "It's not right... But I just can't help it; I need you. In some place way down in me, I need you; like air I need you... But you aren't here, are you? Not all of you. It's not fair; you're never fair to me... Never, and I hate it... So..." She started to fondle and caress Talia's breasts, feeling more and more electric and just starting to burn hot inside as she did. "So I'm not going to be fair to you, either, Talia." She moved down and kissed her roughly. "Maybe I never will be again." She told as she undid her lover's pants and slid her fingers down insider her panties.

"It's so wrong..." She whispered into her lover's ears. "But I think I'm really liking this..." She admitted, nipping at her ear; her heart beginning to hammer in her chest when she heard Talia moan in her sleep.

"How wicked you make me... How much you ruin me..." She brought her mouth to her lover's right tit and began to suckle it; still wishing very much she would wake up--still angry with her that she would not--but still, unable to stop her desires from driving her on.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(to be continued)


	17. A Walk In The Forest

PART 17: A WALK IN THE FOREST

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

\--- SILVER ---

As the sun began to set, it started to rain. A nice, soft, summer rain. Raul had hurried to put the radio away and everyone but her, Ivy, Shelley, Nina, and Lina went inside. M'gann took Hope with her back into the greenhouse and down to her house. Silver was a little curious to see M'gann house--curious to know what a Martian house looked like--but that could wait for whenever. Right now she watched Ivy, her eyes closed, face turned up to the rain--a happy smile on her lips; her clothes getting soaked. It was... breathtakingly beautiful, and sexy. 

She glanced over at Lina, Nina, and Shelley. Shelley was clearly feeling happy with the rain too, and Nina was kissing her neck. Lina was just standing there though, looking at the greenhouse with an expression of yearning on her face. She noticed Silver looking at her, turned to her and smiled, a little self-effacingly. She turned and looked at Ivy next and Silver saw curiosity and interest in Lina's face. But then she turned away when Nina called to her; invited her to go walking in the gardens with them. Lina turned and went, waving to Silver.

Silver smiled and waved back, feeling a little wistful about the whole thing. How Lina had managed to get herself in a position like she was in, Silver was a little amazed at. It couldn't be easy; she'd been in enough uncomfortable romantic situations in her life to know that. But she was happy Lina had someone, or some ones, really.

Ivy came over to her and kissed her. Silver let herself melt into that kiss, press her body to Ivy's, and mold herself to her as tightly as she could; hungry for her. "Walk with me? In the woods?" Ivy asked.

"Sure." Silver agreed easily, kissing her softly and then taking her hand in hers and walking with her out into the woods.

The rain had soaked them both. "Wait." Ivy , backing Silver up against a tree trunk once they where a ways into the woods, her eyes sweeping over Silver's body, making heat flush through her and her heart beat faster.

"What?" She asked a little playfully.

"We should take off our clothes, don't you think?" Ivy asked back with a smile that had Silver feeling a little weak in the knees.

"...Fuck yes..." She answered under her breath as Ivy's hands slid over her and started to undress her. At one point, Ivy bent to her knees in front of her and, after Silver had stepped out of the last of her clothing, Ivy licked her thigh and... sniffed her sex; her hands caressing Silver's skin. Silver moaned, but Ivy stood up and started to take her own clothes off in front of her. Silver watched, spellbound, and trying very hard not to go to her and ravish her.

Finally, Ivy stood before her, nude, and Silver swallowed; her senses alight. She moved forwards and came to press her body to Ivy's and nudge her back, away from the tree so the rain steadily fell on them. She smiled to her lover and Ivy smiled back and Silver kissed her; brought her hands to Ivy's face, her hair, and Ivy wrapped her arms around her and held her close and they just kissed for what seemed like ages.

"I love you so much." Silver spoke softly, smiling to her lover.

"You still want to marry me?" Ivy asked her.

"Almost as much as I want to fuck you right now... Which is really saying something." She smiled, kissing Ivy again.

"What happened... between you and Lina?" Ivy asked softly, sounding uncharacteristically unsure of herself.

Silver smiled at how she was able to so easily bring that shy, girlish side out in Ivy, who never seemed to act unsure of herself or girlish with anyone else. Except maybe Lina a little. No, Ivy was usually all confidant and sexy and very adult and womanly. At times like this though, Silver imagined she was getting a glimpse of the teenage girl she once was; it made her wish she'd known Ivy growing up... How much easier, how much better that would have been.

She should have known Ivy had wanted to talk about this though. She'd been unusually tense in the back yard; in a way that Silver recognized was about her--about them. 

"We talked." Silver answered softly. "We got to know each other..."

"...And?" Ivy asked, her expression open and trusting in a way that made Silver feel very good.

She smiled a little. "There was also some kissing, and snuggling in bed; it didn't go further of course... But I made it clear that, if you and she wanted to, I'd be completely open to a threesome. I really like her; I can so easily see how you could have fallen so hard for her, you know... She does love you though, Ivy."

"I... um..." Ivy closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against Silver's. "Okay then." She spoke, sounding a little shaky.

"What's wrong?" Silver asked.

"...I just... I don't know if I can deal with that right now." Ivy admitted softly. "If I want to..."

"We don't have to." Silver answered easily, not really having expected Ivy to answer any other way, actually. She knew if Ivy did take her up on the whole Lina issue, it would take her some time to process; of course it would. It would take Lina time too.

"No, I know that; it's just... Fuck--why did she have to kiss me like that?" Ivy asked, opening her eyes and looking into Silver's.

"I told you, she loves you." Silver answered simply. "It's more complicated than that of course. She has feelings for M'gann too, intense feelings--though unrequited, apparently. And she's... kind of going through a rough time right now--because of that, and because she's got all these memories that aren't originally hers inside... She's changing, adjusting, and I don't think she knows who she's going to end up being in the end--who she wants to end up being... Other than that she wants to find love of course. Maybe that can be with us, and maybe it can't ...but I know you well enough to know--you never stopped loving her... Did you?"

"...No..." Ivy answered softly. "I don't... I don't think I ever could." She admitted. "But that doesn't mean I should be with her, that you should... um, share me?"

"Well, I -was- thinking more along the lines of mutual sharing, if you must know." Silver replied a little jokingly.

"Were you?" Ivy asked, a little curious despite herself apparently.

"I was." Silver answered softly. "You used to do it too you know; have more than one lover in your bed. Well, I did too. Often in fact." She admitted. "Even if it did get me into trouble sometimes."

Ivy smiled to herself. "Why do I find that image adorable? Two women fighting over you in bed."

"I don't know. That actually did happen once though." She admitted.

"What did you do?" Ivy asked.

"I left." She admitted. "It's not one of my favorite memories... There were a lot of hurt feelings. I flew to Rome the next day and sulked for a month... Going to museums and shopping. I met a sales girl at a boutique and fell head over heels in love with her. For three months or so."

"What broke you up?" Ivy asked.

"She... asked me to marry her. She wanted children--a family--the whole thing. I... wasn't ready." She admitted. "...I went home--got on with my old life--started dating two men, brothers... strippers, actually. That was fun. But, you're right; I don't suppose I ever did stop... loving her. The woman I met in Rome."

"What was her name?" Ivy asked.

"Candace... Candace Channing." She replied.

"Doesn't sound like a very Italian name." Ivy teased.

"No, it doesn't, does it?" Silver smiled. "She was an ex-pat; British. She could speak Italian like a native though. Very sexy."

"Now I wish I could speak Italian. Do you think I should learn?" She asked playfully.

Silver smiled. "As if you'd need to. Your voice always melts me; everything about you in fact... If you were any more perfect, I think it'd kill me."

"...I'm not perfect, Silver." Ivy told her softly.

"No, you're not. I know. Maybe I should say... perfect for me?" She offered. "Because that, you definitely are."

Ivy smiled a little shyly. "Mutual." She replied, kissing her sweetly. "And I love you so much, sometimes I can't think clearly at all because of it... So maybe I know something of what Lina's feeling too."

Silver felt a brilliant smile come to her lips and she couldn't help kissing Ivy hungrily. "See?" She spoke, a little breathless. "Perfect."

Ivy smiled to her. "We could make love, if you want?" Ivy asked her.

Silver closed her eyes a moment, then opened them, looking into Ivy's eyes. "I think we need to talk some more first, don't you?" She asked with a little regret. "Maybe we should walk a while more? Spend the night with the trees and all?" She asked. "It so beautiful today..." She spoke a little wistfully of how true that was. Her transformation gave her a whole new perspective on rain. She loved it--it made her feel so amazing--made everything in her just hum with happiness.

"That sounds... really nice." Ivy answered, and the expression on her face let Silver know just how much it meant to her, what Silver had asked her for just now. "Um, so... shall we go?" She smiled a little shyly, but also plainly just happy and at peace.

"Of course..." Silver agreed, swallowing a little at just how much that look on Ivy's face did to her. She hadn't thought it was possible, but it made her fall in love with her even more.

"Just to be clear--you're not going to walk out on me on our wedding day or anything, are you?" Ivy teased.

"Only if you're with me when we do." Silver answered softly, coming around in front of her lover and smiling to her. "You're stuck with me, I pleased to say. No matter what." She moved forward and kissed Ivy softly, then smiled. "Catch me if you can?" She offered, turning and running off into the woods.

She heard Ivy laugh and kept running until she came to a big tree and then she stopped, looking up at it in wonder a little, then going over to it and leaning against it. A second later, Ivy came after her and stopped and just stared. Not at the tree, but at her, and Silver smiled to her and Ivy smiled back. Ivy walked up to her. "I thought you wanted me to catch you?"

"I do. You did, didn't you?" Silver answered.

"It was a short chase." Ivy offered, stepping in closer to her.

"I missed you." Silver answered honestly.

Ivy smiled. "That's good... Besides, I think I like the idea of you chasing me, more than me chasing you."

"Do you?" Silver asked.

"I don't know. I guess so." Ivy told her, kissing her earlobe. "Does it matter?"

"Not really." Silver admitted. "We could walk some more?"

"How about we sit here for a while, under the tree?" Ivy asked.

"We'd miss the rain." Silver pointed out.

"Just for a little while?" Ivy asked. "The green is so strong here."

"Alright." Silver agreed easily, going to sit down against the tree. Ivy sat next to her and they snuggled up together--Silver resting her head on Ivy's shoulder--Ivy resting her head against hers. They held hands. "It's so amazing out here, isn't it?"

"It is." Ivy agreed softly. "All the life around us; it's like... the sweetest music in the world..."

"It's exactly like that." Silver agreed, finding the words expressed her own feelings very nicely. "I'm so glad I get to share this with you."

"I'm so glad I have you to share it with. Really... you have no idea how glad." She told softly.

"I think I might... have an idea, at least." Silver replied. "I can think; what it would be like... if I didn't have you anymore... and I was in a world where there was no one else like me." She shivered a little. "I'm not sure... I don't know what I'd do..."

"Become a serial killer." Ivy answered in a tone of voice that was hard to read.

"...No comment." Silver replied.

"Do you think... I mean, it's... It's not just that I'm the only one, is it? That's... I mean, that's not why you stayed with me... Is it?" Ivy asked.

Silver was silent a few moments. "I stayed with you... because I'm yours... Even with a choice, there was never a choice for me." She admitted. "...It wouldn't have mattered if everyone else in the world were like us--it would still be true I think." She told her, looking off into the woods and listening to the music of the raindrops. "You're in my heart, Ivy. Rooted so deep, there's no way I'll ever be free. No way I'll ever want to be, I think."

"So... it didn't work then, when I set you free? Not completely? You never... Never had the choice to leave?" She asked, heavy emotion and dread in her voice.

"...No; you don't understand--I could have left. I'm sure of it." Silver answered. "I had the choice; I'm free. But I, at the same time, there was no choice at all. Because I'm in love with you; so completely, ridiculously in love with you... That doesn't really make much sense, I know; but can't you just go with it?"

She could almost hear Ivy smile in the sound of her voice and the way she relaxed just that little bit against her. "I don't think I have a choice." She answered.

Silver laughed. "You're free to choose; you always have been. Do you have a choice about staying with me? About loving me?" She asked softly. She believed Ivy would say no--she believed that was the truth--but there was still that anticipation there; that ghost of a 'what if'.

"...No choice at all." Ivy finally answered very softly. "I see what you mean."

Silver got up and sat in Ivy's lap and kissed her. "Good answer." She smiled.

Ivy returned the smile and kissed her back. Silver felt herself heat up so quickly--felt herself just melt against the woman she loved--hold her close to her and kiss. She took her time and Ivy seemed in no hurry ether. Their hands explored, their bodies moved against one another in ways that made it hard for Silver to stay focused, and, after a while, she felt Ivy move forward against her and lay her gently down on her back, Silver offering no resistance at all. Ivy stared down into her eyes from above. She smiled softly. "You know; somehow I never quite believed I'd be this lucky... That I'd find someone like you..." Ivy spoke softly. "The way I feel about you..."

"Tell me." Silver prompted softly.

"...There aren't any words..." She replied. "Just..." She ran her fingers through Silver's hair. "Feel me--talk with me--like you would the trees... Then you'll know." Ivy suggested, moving down and kissing her; lowering herself down onto her.

Their bodies moved in harmony, drawn closer, and Silver did what Ivy asked her, and let her mind just feel the green world around her--feel Ivy. It wasn't hard at all; Ivy was like a bright, glowing star of such beautiful energy and life--she was sure she could see her from miles and miles away--sense her even from the other side of the world, she glowed so brightly. And she felt her own energy entwining itself with hers. Felt how beautiful and bright she herself had become, and she let herself flow, drift, into the woman above her--with her, inside her--and she felt it; felt how Ivy felt for her. She'd done this before in bed with her since her change, but never so deliberately as this. And the way Ivy felt; it was so much like the way Silver felt for her. In many ways, Ivy was her mirror self in that sense; but she was so different too--her feelings were so different--in so many ways. She felt like she could work her thoughts and feelings around them forever and not ever know everything. But, of course, she did know the one thing that mattered.

She rolled Ivy over onto her back and brought her hand down between Ivy's legs and kissed her fiercely as Ivy's fingers found her sex in return and they went about slowly brining each other to orgasm. Their kiss broke, and Silver felt herself cry out softly. Ivy pulled her head back down and forced their lips together, swallowing her moans as the climax just seemed to last on and on; their bodies rocking together in long-learned familiarity. They were so in sync; it was just so beautiful--it was almost frightening. No, it -was- frightening, Silver considered; but it was the kind of fear she couldn't help but rush into--thrill at--because, when it came down to it, she trusted Ivy.

Even knowing that what Lilhy had told her might be true in same ways; and that, practically speaking, anyone observing her life from the outside might well have some very good reasons to tell her to guard her heart more carefully, or to not trust the woman under her completely, she honestly didn't care. Or if she did, not nearly enough to act on those nagging little fears. The simple truth, she was coming to realize, was that she trusted Ivy and believed in her--in the love they shared--with all her heart--trusted it much, much more than she'd trusted anything or anyone in her life before or since. Parents, lovers, friends, society, religion, or human morality--people might well say she was a terrible, even evil person for it--but for her, she'd chose Ivy over any of it.

\--- CATALINA ---

Nina was laughing and Shelley was giggling a little as they ran into the bedroom together, Lina was just smiling and feeling oddly content as she sat on the bed, but then got up again when Nina pulled her up. "We're wet, silly." She moved in and kissed her. "Come on, let's take her clothes off." She smiled over to Shelley.

"It's okay if we take off our clothes, right?" Shelley asked, coming in close to her and running her hand over her waist, kissing her ear and sniffing her hair.

"No, I'd hate it." Lina joked, kissing her.

Nina pushed her over onto the bed and got on top of her. "Then we'll just have to take them, won't we?" She threatened with life and joy shining in her eyes.

"You're getting the bed wet." Lina smiled.

"I don't care." Nina replied, tugging at her shirt.

"Then... be gentle with me?" Lina asked playfully as Shelley and Nina took her clothes off.

"Your turn." Shelley prompted from behind Nina. Shelley was already nude; she'd re-grown herself that way and Ivy said it would be better for her to stay unencumbered by clothes for the time being so she could get as much sun as possible while it was daytime. "Help me, Lina?" She asked, and Lina happily did.

"So much has changed since last time..." Nina spoke softly as Shelley unclasped her bra. "We've all changed so much. And we're free..."

"We're still all here though." Lina noted.

"We still... love each other, don't we?" Shelley asked.

"Oh, lover; of course." Nina turned and kissed Shelley and Lina did so next.

"Of course I do." Lina offered softly. "How could I not?"

"The new you is really sexy, by the way... I think I said that once, didn't I?" Nina asked, appraising Shelley.

"You did." Shelley replied, laying Nina down on her back in the middle of the bed so Lina could get her panties off while they kissed.

Lina came up next to them and all three traded kisses; lips meeting or kissing, nipping, or licking at ear, neck, or shoulder. Hands traveled over soft, warm skin; bodies sought closeness.

Shelley smelled so good too, and her skin was different, just a little somehow; Lina loved to touch it. Soon, Lina ended up turned around with her head between Shelley's thighs, giving her oral sex. Her scent and taste were so addicting too. Shelley's fingers were in her sex too; in both her and Nina's sexes. She could hear the soft sounds of Nina and Shelley kissing. And she felt the heat in her body start to rise in that certain way that made it hard to think. She just focused on pleasing Shelley and tried to hold off her climax, despite how very good Shelley's talented fingers were making her feel. Then she heard Nina cry out her release, and she and Shelley both followed her over into climax.

Afterward, she found herself licking up Shelley's excess juices and feeling more relaxed and peaceful than she could remember being for a long time; maybe ever.

The three of them made love a few more times after that, and as they did, Lina's feelings of well-being only grew.

Later, she found herself with Shelley laying contentedly on her chest, asleep, and Nina snuggled up to her, kissing her neck and nipping lazily at her ear. "I like this..." Nina whispered to her. "I like having you with us like this." She told, stroking Lina's hair with her fingers and moving to kiss her; their lips meeting in an unhurried but passionate kiss.

"I... I really like it too." Lina admitted. "Being here with both of you like this; it feels... I think it might be the best feeling I've ever felt, honestly."

"Does that mean you'd consider... making this permanent?" Shelley asked, sounding sleepy, but apparently having woken.

"Would... Would you both want that?" Lina asked, feeling her heart lurch a little.

"Yeah; I would." Nina told her.

"Of course; me too." Shelley agreed, closing her eyes and making contended sounds. She was still tired apparently.

"Definitely." Nina added.

Lina shook her head. "That means so much, but... I need time..." She answered softly.

"That's okay." Nina replied, kissing her again.

Shelley mumbled something a little incoherent.

"Shelley?" Nina asked, getting no reply.

"Sleeping." Lina offered.

"She's so cute." Nina smiled contentedly.

"Yeah..." Lina agreed, stroking Nina's hair. "I guess she's tired from, you know, growing a new body and everything."

Nina smiled. "Are you tried, Lina?" She asked, taking Lina's hand and sucking on two of her fingers suggestively.

"You know... Suddenly, not even a little?" She answered.

"Good. Because, I've been in a coma you know; I've got lots of energy stored up." She told her.

Lina and Nina made love then, several times, until Lina was well and thoroughly exhausted and feeling dreamy and blissful, and maybe a little sore, actually. Derick had gotten some hits in, shoved her against a wall or two, when they'd fought in the hallway before, and Nina, as it turned out, really knew how to come on strong when she wanted to. Not that Lina was complaining at all about it. She'd loved it. The Nina part; not the Derick part--that she could have done without.

She kind of wished Derick wasn't here with them, in the house, actually. She didn't have feelings for him anymore, especially not after how he'd looked at her and treated her in the hallway; but, at the same time, she didn't like the idea of him under someone else's control as he was now... even if it was Silver, whom she very much trusted, doing the controlling. She wished they could just let him go and she'd never have to see him again, to be honest. That way she could think of him as being out there, swinging between buildings on grappling lines like the acrobat that he was, stopping criminals, and helping people. That was the thing about Ricky; he really was like a bird, and birds just weren't meant to be kept in cages--no matter how nice the cage was.

Nina raised herself up from laying on Lina's belly and came up and looked down into Lina's eyes. Shelley was sleeping very soundly a little ways over on the bed. "Hi." She smiled flirtatiously.

"Hi?" Lina asked back playfully.

"Yeah, 'hi'." Lina moved down and captured her lips in a long, lingering kiss.

"Okay then." Lina replied as the kiss broke and Nina lay down on top of her, resting her head on her shoulder.

"Feeling tired yet?" Lina asked.

"More than before... I'm not sure I can go to sleep though." She confessed.

"Why not?" Lina asked, running one of her hands through Nina's hair.

"...Maybe I'm traumatized or something." She admitted softly.

"...You're scared you won't wake up again, you mean?" Lina guessed.

"I don't know; maybe." Nina answered, kissing her skin. "Are you tired?"

"More than I was before." Lina smiled.

"Think you'll fall asleep soon?" Nina asked.

"I can stay up for a while longer, if you want to talk?" She offered.

"...Not have more hot, lusty sex with me?" Nina asked playfully.

"Only if you don't want me to fall asleep after." 

"...Talking it is then." Nina conceited.

"You don't want to talk?" Lina asked.

"...I don't know. Talking's okay." Nina answered, starting to kiss Lina's skin again lazily. "Ask me anything; I'm an open book."

"Okay... Um, so, why'd you choose to stay?" Lina asked. "Here, with um; with Ivy, and everything."

"Why did you?" Nina asked, not answering the question.

Lina considered calling her on it, but decided to answer instead. Nina and Shelley didn't know about her feelings for either M'gann or Viv. They only knew the her she was previous to what had happened with them and M'gann, and she wasn't quite sure she wanted to talk about that right now. She kind of wanted to try to forget about it all, to be honest. Not that she had any illusions that she'd actually be able to; because she knew she wouldn't. Knew she couldn't. "...Viv... Ivy; she's my friend. In college, we were best friends... I'd never made friends with anyone like that before, or since for that matter. I guess... I guess it's just not all that easy for me to let someone in that way, or, at least, it hasn't been... So, despite what she did to me, I still... I want to be there for her. And, you know, she's not wrong. Why she's doing all this? I didn't see it before, but I do now. It's a good cause, Nina. Someone needs to fight for it. For everyone's sake." She finished.

"Oh... Um, that makes sense then." Nina answered softly.

"What about you?" Lina asked gently, hoping her lover would answer this time.

"Me? Oh... I'm shallow, I guess." She admitted.

"...What do you mean?" Lina asked curiously.

"I love Shelley. I love my life here. I love you. I'm happy here, I live in a mansion, and I have a good life. I don't know about... About why Ivy's doing all this, but... I just; I guess I just believe in her anyway. Because... Um, it just feels like I should somehow. Because Shelley believes in her. And M'gann, and you... You're all in my head now--like, literally--it's almost like you're living... inside my head. And you believe it--Shelley especially--I know she'd never... Even if I left; she never would. Now way. She'd follow Ivy no matter what; give her life for the cause without hesitation I think. You know that too, right?"

Lina didn't even need to question it; she knew it was true just like Nina did. "I do." She admitted.

"See? So, there's no choice really. Even if I wanted to leave, which I don't of course, I couldn't. I'd never leave her, Lina; not for anything." Nina admitted.

"...And you think that's a shallow reason?" Lina asked, doubting it greatly.

"I don't know; maybe not. It's selfish anyway. I don't really care that much about, you know, fate of the world stuff. I guess maybe I should..."

Lina sighed. "I fell in love with M'gann." She admitted. She didn't want to, but she felt like a fraud not admitting to it after what Nina just told her.

"Wait, huh?" Nina got up on her elbows and looked down at her; their eyes met.

"After it happened; after she saved me. I... fell in love with her. I don't know why or how, not exactly, but I did. If that hadn't happened, I don't know... I might have wanted to leave then. I can't say. But... I didn't stay for a selfless reason either, not mainly anyway, just so you know..." She admitted.

"...Wow." Nina smiled. "Are you still in love with her?"

"...I don't think I'll ever not be again." She confessed. "But she... Artemis is her mate, not me. M'gann would never choose me over her. I just... It would never happen."

"But... But you're... You're in love with me, with Shelley... You're in love with us too, aren't you?" Nina asked, vulnerability very evident in her voice.

"...I wouldn't have come to bed with you tonight if I didn't feel that way. Of course I love you, Nina... Shelley too." Lina told her.

"...Not love--in love, Lina. There's a difference." She insisted stubbornly. "One that matters... Matters a lot."

"..." Lina looked into Nina's eyes and caressed her face. "I'm in love with you, okay?" She smiled softly. "Okay?"

A little reluctantly, Nina smiled back. "Okay then." She conceded, apparently satisfied. "That's... That's good then. Because I'm in love with you too, Lina. I'm not sure... Maybe it's like how it happened with you and M'gann, but I... I don't want to be without you."

"...What about Ivy then?" Lina asked. "Are you still...?"

"Lusting after her, like before you mean?" Nina smiled against her skin.

"Yeah. Or... Or M'gann for that matter." Lina asked.

"You know? Not so much." Nina admitted. "Not that... I mean, I don't think I'd ever want to... To be with M'gann again; I'd be too scared to. But, if Ivy asked, it's hard to imagine that I'd even consider turning her down. I know Shelley wouldn't. But, to be completely honest, I'd be... I'd be more interested in being with Silver again."

Lina smile softly. "Still far from being monogamous then, huh?"

"Well, not strictly at any rate." Nina smiled. "I don't see the point in it; never have, really. I've always just... gone to bed with most any woman who wanted to, if you want the truth. Like I said, shallow... How about you?"

Lina considered that. "I was never like that before... You know, what happened; first with Viv, then, um, M'gann and everything."

"But now?" Nina asked.

"Now... Now I'm so different; I'm not sure the old me would even recognize myself." She confessed. "It's a little scary, actually."

"...I guess it would be, huh?" Nina replied. "I can relate. I was with Ivy--belonged to her--so long; even now... I know what I said and everything, and I know I have a choice, but... the idea of betraying her... of doing anything against her... I might... might be able to get myself to leave, if Shelley said she wanted to too, but I could never do anything to hurt her; betray her. I'd die first; I know I would. It's like... she's... She's still in me somewhere, you know? Like... Like she always will be; no matter what I do."

"...Do you wish that wasn't true?" Lina asked.

"Do you wish you didn't love M'gann?" Nina countered.

"...I'd never wish that." Lina confessed softly.

"Yeah; didn't think so. I'm not... Not in love with Ivy, exactly; but it's the same for me too. I wouldn't want to change the way I feel about her. Even if I don't quite look at her like she's a goddess who could walk on water and do no wrong anymore. I still love her... I still believe in her..."

There was a short period of silence when Lina didn't say anything back to that.

"So, the before you--she liked men, but now you don't, right? Or, um, are you bisexual?" Nina asked, apparently not wanting the conversation to be over; probably because it would mean sleep.

"Not bisexual, no... Definitely lesbian; 100% I'd say... Like I said; different." Lina told her honestly. And it was true, she just couldn't see herself being any other way anymore. Just like M'gann never saw herself any other way; which was maybe where a lot of the change came from.

"Huh.... You wouldn't think something like that could just... You know, change like that. So much." Nina contemplated.

"Did though." Lina answered simply.

"Guess so. So... lesbian Lina... want to be a lesbian with me some more?" She asked, pushing herself up to look down into Lina's eyes again and run her hand through her hair.

"A world of yes... But after that, I definitely want some sleep, okay?" Lina asked.

"Okay... Yeah, um, but... I want to be in the middle, okay? When we go to sleep; I want to be in the middle of you and Shelley." She asked.

Lina looked into her eyes. "Yeah; of course... We'll... We'll keep you safe, alright? ...We'll make sure you wake up."

"...Okay." Nina agreed trustingly, lowing down and kissing Lina; sweetly at first, then more hungrily. "Tire me out, okay Lina? ...Be a little rough with me?"

Lina felt a thrill go through her at that and she felt more awake. "I can do that; no problem." She agreed, moving up and taking Nina in a passion-filled, hungry kiss; turning her over onto her back and keeping her mouth on hers. She groped at one of Nina's tits and held one of her hands to the bed while Nina's other hand held the back of her head and forced them to keep kissing; not that Lina had any inclination towards stopping.

Soon through, she'd broken away and claimed one of Nina's tits between her mouth, sucking hard. Nina's hands held head and back. Lina was pressing in on Nina's sex with her thigh. Soon she would switch tits and bring her hand down between Nina's thighs to her sex. She would draw it out; make Nina crazy a little. And when it was over, they'd go again, with Nina on top that time. And when they were finally worn out enough, they'd go over and snuggle up with Shelley--Nina in the middle--both other women holding her between them. Shelley would never awake again that night, but would not need to to gravitate to her lover. And Lina would fall asleep, her head nestled against Nina's; the scent of Nina's hair mixed with Shelley's flowery perfume scent that the room still smelled strongly of and Lina was getting to really love. And as she would fall asleep; Lina would feel happy and content and loved, and she'd think... This what I want... This feels like home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(to be continued)


	18. The Big Unknown

PART 18: THE BIG UNKNOWN

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

\--- M'GANN ---

"I like your friends." Hope spoke to her as M'gann sat her back down on her feet after carrying her back to her home's new location in the caverns beneath Silver's property.

M'gann smiled to her and cupped her cheek a little. "I like them too." M'gann agreed happily, but paused. "Though I don't think Lilhy likes me very much..." It was true; everyone had been so happy--welcomed her like a hero. They knew who she was, or most of who she was, and they all cared for her--it was easy for her to tell. Then she'd done that for Talia, and Lilhy had hated her for it; she couldn't have helped but notice. She'd been tempted to go into her mind and find out why, maybe soothe the hurt feelings, but she could also tell very easily she wouldn't have been welcome. It bothered her. Talia was her friend; she didn't want her friend's mate not liking her.

"Why not, I wonder...?" Hope replied thoughtfully as she went over to sit on the couch.

M'gann looked to her and thought about it. She went over and sat next to her, tucking her feet up under her. "I don't know for sure, but I think she was probably just feeling protective of her mate; which I probably should have thought of. Or maybe she feels threatened? I'll... I'll just have to talk with her tomorrow--try to make amends--that's all." She decided.

Hope came up behind her and held her from behind and M'gann relaxed against her. "Why would she feel like that though?" She asked. "I guess I... just don't understand it... How anyone could be upset with you."

"Mmmm, hard to say. Humans have so many different sets of sensibilities about mating, you know." She answered.

"...I think I had a mate once." Hope spoke. "I wonder... I wonder what happened to her?" She asked softly; wistfully.

M'gann sat up and turned to face her, cupping her cheek again; which made Hope smile and nuzzle into her hand with affection. "You did; and... And she's lost. Just like my mate is... But you don't have to worry, alright? I'm going to find them both for us, then we'll be happy. Just trust me, okay? Talia told me how to do it, and we're going to start tomorrow."

"Of course I trust you." Hope answered. "You're my friend; I love you M'gann. I know... I know you'll always do what's best for me." She attested, her eyes full of trust and belief.

M'gann kissed her forehead and smiled to her. "I will. I promise... Now, we should... We should go sleep. I'm so tired... Keep me company?" She asked hopefully.

"Mm-hmm." Hope agreed.

"Good. Come on." She got up and took Hope's hand and led her to the bedroom.

Once there, they curled up in bed together and M'gann; M'gann holding Hope to her as though guarding her from all harm. The protective instinct she seemed to have developed towards her new 'pet' a comforting feeling somehow. It felt nice to have someone to protect again; even if that someone wasn't yet Artemis. Hope snuggled up to her contentedly and almost immediately fell into a deep sleep; M'gann soon falling asleep too.

In her dreams, M'gann could swear she heard a distant voice--one that scared her. One she had to hide from.

\--- IVY ---

When the first rays of sunlight touched her skin, Ivy began to awaken. She felt Silver in her arms. One of her lover's hands cupped one of her breasts; which felt, well, nice seemed too mild a word. She closed her eyes and sighed, just holding to woman she loved and fleetingly wishing she could live like this for the rest of her life and not look back...

Out in the forest with the woman she loved. No civilization; no... No humans. She let herself consider that for a while. It wasn't the first time she'd daydreamed about it--just turning her back on the human world. Her love for that world always kept her on her path though. But, if she took that out of the equation in her mind like she never could, never would want to, in reality, then in the here and now--would she miss it, being a part of the human world? Maybe some things. Chief among them of course was the new circle of friends she and Silver had made recently. That was such a comfortable feeling; having people she felt she could trust in her life... and such a strange feeling too. Even Lina was here with her; believing in her cause and... And wanting to be with her. She shivered a little. Of everything that had happened, none of which she could have ever predicted, that was the one thing she was still having trouble actually getting herself to believe--to accept.

Every time she tried to really think about it, to work out how she felt about it, about her; it was... like there was just this... wall there--inside her--one she just couldn't seem to get past somehow--or even really understand. It didn't scare her exactly; it was just... unsettling. She'd never really let it show after all--just how much Lina's rejection had hurt her. She knew; she'd never gotten over it--she'd just... lived with it.

She felt Silver stir in her arms and move a little, making soft waking noises that Ivy found impossibly attractive and endearing.

"Morning, sunshine." Ivy spoke to her softly.

"Mmmm..." Silver moved to kiss her throat, squeeze her breast, and roll her over onto her back. "Morning..." She answered hungrily as she kissed up along her neck and started nipping at her ear.

Ivy moaned a little and smiled, opening her eyes and looking up through the trees at the sky above. In a small alcove deeper into the forest, they'd decided to stay for the night. Plants had grown up around and under them, making a bed for them; even without either of them having to ask. And now, flowers were blooming around them--birds were singing happily--life just seemed so intense... It happened around her naturally wherever she went, but usually it would have taken longer for the effect to be this intense. That Silver was here with her--their energies coming together in love--Ivy could tell; they were even -more- together than they would be apart. It wasn't just the forest immediately around them, it was her--it was them--Ivy felt it, she'd -been- feeling it--like she just had more energy, more life in her. And it wasn't just that she was so in love--though that was certainly a big part of it--it was also physical--spiritual--maybe even magical. Her body--everything in her--just reacted like nothing she'd ever experienced before; being with Silver like she was now, it was like pure sunlight, roil, and rain for her soul.

Still though, as Silver set about having her way with her, emotions couldn't help but flurry in her. Delight, desire, love, hunger, want, yes... but also, she couldn't help but feel just... vulnerable; exposed somehow. Silver showed every sign -every sign and more- of having fallen in love with her, in a way that told her this could be a for the rest of their lives sort of thing. And she wanted that--so much, she wanted that. But she also had to admit, she was scared. Scared of being so vulnerable again, of Silver having so -very- much power over her--but also scared that it could all somehow be taken away. Everyone she'd loved in her life before--her sister, Lina, Hailey--they'd all left her. True, Lina was back now... whatever that meant, but still...

Silver claimed her mouth in a fierce, possessive kiss and all her thoughts just scattered and she kissed her back, almost desperately. She moaned a little, then whispered to her. "Fuck me, Silver... Just fuck me."

Silver groaned and kissed her again. Silver's hand, which had 'til now just been teasing her sex around the opening, brushing her clit, now her fingers went into her--began to play her like an instrument--rock her--devastate her. Silver's mouth soon found one of her tits and sucked hard, making Ivy cry out. Ivy just held on to her lover as her mind was thoroughly blown to pieces for her until all that was left was bliss and blind, desperate love for the woman above her.

Some time later, after giving each other a very thoroughly enjoyable sexual workout that had done much to make Ivy's fears recede again, Ivy found herself laying over Silver, kissing her tenderly again and again "I love you so much, Silver; I think it may drive me mad one day..." She spoke softly.

Silver had had her eyes closed, luxuriating in the afterglow. Ivy still had her lover's taste on her lips. But now, Silver's eyes opened and their gazes met. "...What do you mean by that?" She asked softly, her eyes searching Ivy's for an answer.

"By what?" She asked silently, looking away and laying her head down beside her lover's.

"...What you just said. You know what I mean, Ivy. Tell me...?" Her fingers played through Ivy's hair and Ivy closed her eyes.

"Nothing... It's just... Just something to say; that's all." She answered softly.

"No, it's not." Silver replied knowingly. "You know I know you better than that by now, don't you?"

"...I really should know that, shouldn't I?" Ivy silently agreed.

"So?" Silver asked.

"So... So is... So is that... I suppose I'm scared." She admitted.

"...Of what?" Silver asked gently, caressing her cheek.

"...Of what I'll do; who I'll be... What happens if things go wrong, or if they go right... What I feel for you; it's just... It's so much, Silver... More than I felt for Lina, and... And I still, after all this time, I still don't even have the... The words to say how much it hurt when she told me she didn't love me back--how much it hurt every day--every single day after. Somewhere inside me, I think it's hurting me still. I've just... learned to ignore it, I suppose; or live with it. I can't even... I can't even really consider what you... The idea of being with her, I can't even... process the idea of it. What I do know is that I just want to be with you, and that... That I'm not sure there's anything in the world I wouldn't do for that. If you... If you tried to leave me, I know--I know I wouldn't let you go--I'd do anything to get you back--just anything. Do you understand that?"

Silver swallowed. "I do..." She answered, looking into Ivy's eyes and smiling a little. "Is... Is it wrong that it's kind of a turn on for me that you'd... Do that?" She asked, caressing her hair. "I want you to love me, Ivy... I don't want you to hold back feelings like that--even a little. All they could ever do would be to make me want you more." She swallowed. "If that's even possible at this point."

"Silver..." Ivy spoke, staring into her eyes.

"I'm with you, Ivy. Always, and for anything. We're in this together, and I'll always... Always be on your side--no matter what. I swear it--on my life I promise you that, okay?" She kissed her. "Okay?"

Ivy just looked into her eyes and smiled a little. "Okay." And she kissed her, rolled her over onto her back and started to ravish her. 

She still felt afraid, but she felt her heart stir towards something like faith too. Genuine, honest belief in the connection she found she shared with the woman underneath her who met her advance with such intense wanting. 

The future was a big unknown, and they would soon be heading into great danger probably. It was also true that however sensational the specter of the Green-Eyes Killer had been in the press before--with the attack on Luthor Corp., she had now stepped out on the world stage in an audacious new way. That, and M'gann's subsequent attack on Luthor--in her name--could easily draw the wrong kind of attention--from governments, private interests, and very possibly the meta-human community as well. 

She faced what seemed overwhelming odds, but she didn't face them alone anymore. She had friends, and... most importantly, to her, she had Silver. She was starting to really believe that, deep down, and somehow, that seemed to make the difference.

It was still scary and daunting, but it was also thrilling now somehow. She looked forward to what was coming next like she never had been able to before. Because she knew Silver would be there with her.

Even if it all ended in failure and her own death; that she had this--even for a while--made it worth everything to her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BOOK 1 ENDS

I have a book 2 in the series planned, titled "Lazarus--To Live again"

I'm currently writing a number of other related stories in the world of "Gotham-Metropolis".

Crazy Beautiful - [Book 1: Magic Show](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1128625)  
Lost and Found - [Book 1: Be Not Echoes](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1114743)  
Sapphire: The Color of Love - [Book 1: A Liar and A Thief](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1117243)  
Sapphire: The Color of Love - [Book 2: Learning To Fly](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1116880)

If you liked this book, you'd probably like those too.

Feedback/comments are always welcome by the way. Tell me which stories of mine you like most, which you'd like to see continued the soonest, offer suggestions, make a request, whatever--I'd be glad of any encouragement or well wishes you'd care to offer (but please, only if you really want to offer them).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

\--- INDEX ---

-STORY NOTES-  
1.) Some of the characters have been renamed (call it creative license):  
\- Poison Ivy/Pamela Isley is changed to Ivy/Vivian Isley (aka: The Green-Eyes Killer)  
\- Talia uses the name Talia Head, not Talia al Ghul (she's used both)  
\- Artemis Crock is Artemis Nguyen (because the Artemis in my story is based on the Young Justice cartoon where she's Jade's sister, and Jade's last name is Nguyen, so it makes sense to me they should have the same last name)  
\- Nightwing/Dick Grayson his first name is changed to Derick  
\- Harley Quinn/Harleen Quinzel is changed to The Harlequin/Hailey Quinn  
2.) Below is a cast list with links to info pages about them. In quite a few ways, the info there won't necessarily match up to the backgrounds of the characters in this story. Still, if you're unfamiliar with the characters, you might (or might not) find it helpful to click on some of the links. I did make a definite effort to make that sort of foreknowledge unnecessary though. And the pasts alluded to in this story, Ivy and Hailey's past relationship for instance, are certainly not to be found at those links. Though, at the beginning of [Magic Show](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1128625), their breakup is explained in more detail if you're interested.

-CAST-  
Here's a cast list, listed in order of prominence within the story, with links to info pages on them:  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
[IVY](http://www.comicvine.com/poison-ivy/4005-1697/) : Dr. Vivian 'Viv' Isley (aka: The Green-Eyes Killer)  
[SILVER](http://www.comicvine.com/silver-st-cloud/4005-22134/) : Silver St. Cloud  
[M'GANN](http://www.comicvine.com/miss-martian/4005-41145/) : M'gann M'orzz - Miss Martian  
[CATALINA](http://www.comicvine.com/tarantula/4005-4880/) : Catalina 'Lina' Marie Flores - Tarantula  
[TALIA](http://www.comicvine.com/talia-al-ghul/4005-4917/) : Talia Head  
[LILHY](http://www.comicvine.com/lilhy/4005-50307/) : Lilhy  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Nina Doherty : maid  
Shelley Lanning : groundskeeper  
Gustav Paulson : chauffeur  
Raul Marquez : maid  
[Derick Grayson](http://www.comicvine.com/dick-grayson/4005-1691/) \- 'Ricky' - Nightwing  
[Hope Taya](http://www.comicvine.com/hope/4005-9994/)  
[Mercy Graves](http://www.comicvine.com/mercy-graves/4005-9995/)  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
[Artemis Nguyen](http://www.comicvine.com/artemis-crock/4005-19011/) (M'gann's deceased lover whom she intends to bring back to life using a Lazarus pit)  
G'yal N'zae (M'gann's 1st girlfriend, a green Martian)  
[Dr. Hailey Quinn](http://www.comicvine.com/harley-quinn/4005-1696/) \- The Harlequin (Ivy's former lover/partner)  
[Selena Kyle](http://www.comicvine.com/catwoman/4005-1698/) \- Catwoman  
[Nyssa Head](http://www.comicvine.com/nyssa-raatko/4005-41476/) (Talia's older sister)  
[Rhosyn Isley](http://www.comicvine.com/thorn/4005-7099/) \- Thorn (Ivy's sister)  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
[Tim Drake](http://www.comicvine.com/tim-drake/4005-9290/) : Timothy 'Tim' Drake - Robin  
[Azrael](http://www.comicvine.com/jean-paul-valley/4005-12834/) \- Jean Paul Valley  
[Ra's al Ghul](http://www.comicvine.com/ras-al-ghul/4005-40816/) (Talia's and Nyssa's father)  
[The Sacred Order of Saint Dumas](http://www.comicvine.com/order-of-st-dumas/4060-50276/)  
[Bruce Wayne](http://www.comicvine.com/batman/4005-1699/) \- Batman  
[Alexander 'Lex' Luthor](http://www.comicvine.com/lex-luthor/4005-41952/)  
[Hannibal Gates](http://www.comicvine.com/everyman/4005-42873/) \- Everyman  
Candace Channing (Silver's ex-girlfriend, from her time in Rome)  
[Angela Chen](http://www.comicvine.com/angela-chen/4005-4682/) (news anchor)  
James Clarkson (a handsome, well-to-do banker's son)  
Winton Marsy (oil tycoon from Texas)  
Mary June Marsy (Winton's wife, noted patron of the arts)  
Z'raya and R'eon (M'gann's adoptive sister and brother)  
[Saturn Queen](http://www.comicvine.com/saturn-queen/4005-3593/), [Cosmic King](http://www.comicvine.com/cosmic-king/4005-3594/), and [Lightning Lord](http://www.comicvine.com/lightning-lord/4005-3592/)

-PLACES-  
Gotham-Metropolis  
Silver's mansion - has a greenhouse with ivy's secret lab underneath in natural cave formations with a pool  
The Royce-Jennings - where the Gotham-Metro Symphony charity benefit took place  
[Mars](http://www.comicvine.com/mars/4020-55781/)  
[Lazarus Pits](http://www.comicvine.com/lazarus-pit/4055-40817/) Lex Luthor's mansion by the coast  
[Luthor Corp. Towers](http://www.comicvine.com/lexcorp-tower/4020-55694/)  
Rome, Italy - from a story Silver told of her past (re: Candace Channing)

-TYPES OF BEINGS-  
humans  
meta-humans  
[the green](http://www.comicvine.com/the-green/4015-56079/)  
[white Martians](http://www.comicvine.com/white-martians/4060-11285/)  
[green Martians](http://www.comicvine.com/green-martians/4060-30878/)  
[Saturnians](http://www.comicvine.com/red-saturnians/4060-60251/)


End file.
